Villain: The Epilogue
by Yay Ninja Bob
Summary: Buttercup, now known as Jojo, continues to wage her war against the world in the ultimate battle of Good vs. Evil. Will there be another hero turned villain by her side to help with the apocalypse? Part 2 of Villain. Please review! COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: Well, _Villain _is back for more. I don't consider this fan fiction a sequel because it isn't meant to be as big as the original _Villain _was. More so, this will be a continuation/closing of the previous story that was told through Buttercup's POV, but with a much less biased narrator this time around. So this will be written in third person. Like I said, it won't be as long as _Villain_, and it is meant to be more of a special gift to those of you who read and enjoyed the original _Villain_._

_Uh, I definitely would not attempt to read this if you have not read _Villain _first._

_Anyways, I hope you enjoy the fic, and thanks in advance for reading and reviewing!_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The city of Neighborfield-- a city of safety. It acted as a sanctuary for the citizens of nearby areas. The population of Neighborfield was booming due to the thousands of refugees which fled from the chaos and terrorism of a villain's war.

The city's protectors were three little girls known as the Powerpuff Girls. A familiar name to at least half of the city's older residents who were refugees from the city of Townsville-- the first city to fall, and now headquarters of those who waged the current war. Townsville once had its own Powerpuff Girls: Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup. But Neighborfield's were different: Cherry, Candy and Cat. Their mother and creator was the same Blossom of the former group, though her past was rarely discussed openly.

The former leader of the Powerpuff Girls had experienced much at a young age-- the death of one sibling and the betrayal of another. It was painful for most to recall those events, so that portion of history was kept buried safely in the minds of those who lived through it; never to be shared to the new hope and children of Neighborfield, who had no idea of the war being fought just outside their city's borders. Occasionally, an anniversary was remembered with a brief mention of it on the evening news, but for the most part everyone involved in those events just wanted to forget about it all.

However, the city's safety was not only thanks to Cherry, Candy and Cat-- the Powerpuff Girls-- but also thanks to the very villain who fronted the war: Jojo, formerly known as Buttercup.

Jojo's one rule to her fellow criminals and villains was: _No killing of the Powerpuff Girls._ It was something she emphasized constantly, and had to defend constantly as well. It wasn't as if any other villain had the guts to stand up to their leader, no matter how much they disliked the law. After all, one individual had come close to killing a Puff, and what happened to him? Well, he got a funeral, that's what.

It happened about a year and half ago. The Powerpuff Girls were just eleven years old then. That's when a large, scaly beast named Jimmy attacked the city of Neighborfield. The ten ton, fifty-foot tall, fire-breathing monster made the mistake of ensnaring the yellow Puff known as Cat.

Her sister and leader, Cherry, had been tough on her throughout the battle. "Be careful!" she warned her sister after she dealt every hit to the beast. "Cat, you're getting too close!"

"I _am _being careful!" Cat had argued. "You're the one whose not getting close enough! We're going to be here all night if we carry on like this!"

Candy stood between them and watched her sisters argue back and forth. "Um, you guys?" she squeaked.

"What?!" they both shouted at her in unison.

The orange Puff in pigtails just pointed ahead at the monster just about to devour a school bus full of screaming students. Both Cherry and Cat gasped and shot off towards the giant. Cherry quickly pulled the bus from the monster's grasp, while Cat flew at the beast's head at top speed.

When the black haired tomboy cocked back her fist to serve a blow that would have knocked the giant's teeth out, Jimmy the monster's jaw opened up wide as he rapidly turned his head and bit down right on the young girl's head. She reacted, but just a fraction of a second too late. As the monster bit down, she swerved in the air to try and escape in time. But when Jimmy's jaws bit down, her right side of face, jaw and neck were all in harm's way.

To Cat, it felt as if all the flesh on her skull had been ripped clean off. She could physically feel her skin lift, separate from the muscle and bone, stretch as the beast pulled in one direction and she pulled in the opposite and then tear right off of her. At the same time, she badly choked and suffocated as the monster's razor sharp teeth pierced through her neck all at once and shredded everything inside. Her instinct was to cry out and pain, but all that erupted from her vocal chords was an endless stream of blood and gurgling noises.

Thankfully for Cat, she lost consciousness immediately following those seven seconds of pure agony. However those seven seconds lasted an eternity as it happened.

The poor girl's throat had nearly been completely ripped out of her. The immediate predictions of the doctors was that she would not live through the monster attack. Luckily for Jimmy, they were wrong. If they had been right, his death sentence would have been much more painful. While the eleven-year-old was in a coma for two weeks, Jojo did nothing but contemplate just how she would carry out Jimmy's execution. She must have thought up a hundred different scenarios of torture. But luckily for Jimmy, after two weeks, Jojo got word that Cat survived the attack. So luckily for Jimmy, Jojo merely committed the deed with her quick and "merciful" death ray.

To Jojo, the execution was more than just, but to the other villains, her actions were questionable. But of course, no one would dare question her out loud. The only explanation they got back was when the law was first set in place: "They're Powerpuffs. _I _was a Powerpuff. Look how I turned out! We gotta wait and see just how _they _turn out. Who knows? We may have another death ray machine on our side. Now, wouldn't that come in handy for world conquest?"

At first, it was hard to imagine. Another hero gone villain? That doesn't happen all that often and why would it? The Puff formerly known as Buttercup had to be the one and only, rare exception. But today, the villains saw their first hint of a Puff turning bad on Channel 4's live, breaking news.

* * *

Blossom received word of the incident involving her daughter, Cat, first from the television news, and second from an actual phone call from her daughter's middle school principal. It took the frantic mother four minutes to arrive at the school, but took her eight minutes to make her way past the media insanity surrounding the institution.

"Here is Blossom Utonium arriving on the scene! Blossom, can you give us any comment on--"

"_No_," Blossom interrupted, pushing past the crowds of cameramen and reporters.

"Blossom!" a separate reporter shouted after her, "Are you afraid of just how similar this is to your own sister's outburst at your high school some thirteen years ago?!"

Blossom acted as if she did not hear the question, though her face gave away an answer.

She found her daughter Cat, sitting inside the principal's office by herself. The door was shut and locked, and the principal waited for Blossom outside along with several police officers.

"I am _so _sorry, Principal Follows," Blossom immediately began as soon as she saw the serious, tall and bald man. "Cat's just been so frustrated and upset lately. She hasn't been able to fight crime for over a year since the accident and she loves it so much. She just has _so _much energy built up, I'm sure she didn't mean any harm or--"

"Her teacher is in the hospital with five of his ten fingers broken. Fingers he clearly _needs _for his profession as a teacher of deaf and mute children."

"I know," Blossom frowned. "I'll talk to Cat right now and we can--"

"You may speak to her if you wish, but you can do so at home."

Blossom blinked at the man. "Excuse me?"

"Cat is no longer allowed to attend McGavin Intermediate. She has been expelled."

Blossom stared for a while in shock before continuing, "But this is the only school in the city that has a teacher for children who are speech-impaired! You can't just expel her without discussing everything first! Where is she supposed to go to learn if she can't attend school here?! Did you get her side of the story at least? Did you give her a chance to explain herself at all?!"

"Ms. Utonium, I assure you I would have allowed Cat to explain herself, had I the ability to communicate with her. However the one faculty member who can and would have been my interpreter, is now in the _hospital_."

Blossom crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. "Principal Follows, Cat is not _deaf_. She is _mute_. She can hear and understand you just fine, and if you would have asked her anything she would have given you an answer by writing it down for you. Or are you saying you just don't know how to _read_?"

He sighed. "Ms. Utonium, I know you are upset because this is your child, but you have to understand just where the school is coming from here. We can't risk the other children's safety for the sake of your daughter. This is not her first outburst here, Ms. Utonium. Although those were just minor and brief temper tantrums, this incident is a much more serious one. She has caused over a thousand dollars in property damages and sent her teacher to the _emergency room_. After all that happened with your own sister, I was sure you would have a better understanding of--"

"Can I please take my daughter home now?"

The principal gave the armed policemen a nod and they stepped aside from the door. Principal Follows unlocked the door for Blossom and she stepped inside. As if the room contained a wild animal, he quickly shut the door behind her and warily peeked through its glass window.

Blossom sighed and looked to her yellow-eyed daughter. She stood beside the principal's desk with her head hung low and a slight glare on her face with her eyes fixed on her own shuffling feet. She looked up at her mother and raised her right hand to begin to speak: "It wasn't my fault ," is what she attempted to sign, but Blossom interrupted her, by grabbing her by the hand and leading her outside of the office and down the hallway.

Cat flew herself and her mother over the crowd of news personnel, to Blossom's car in the parking lot. Once inside the car, the media crews rushed over to the vehicle and surrounded Cat and Blossom like hungry vultures. It took twelve minutes to pull out of the parking lot successfully.

"Blossom, do you feel your daughter should serve time for her crime here today?"

"Will you be paying for the damages your daughter caused in the classroom today?"

"Do you feel Cat should be placed in an institution of some sort? Perhaps she can receive help before it is too late!"

"With the scars, awkward appearance and now violent outbursts-- _clearly_, Cat is beginning to look more and more like your villainous sibling! Are you considering--"

With the last comment, Blossom slammed on her car horn, deafening the surrounding crowd. Finally, they began to scatter and she was free of them.

At the first stop sign on the road, Blossom felt a tug on her lab coat's sleeve. She looked over to Cat, "What is it, Sweetie?"

"'Villainous sibling'?" Cat signed with her fingers.

Blossom blinked at her. "…I'm sorry, Baby, I can't understand you. I must not have learned that word yet," she lied and kept driving.

She drove for about two minutes straight before having a piece of paper shoved in front of her face, reading: "What did that reporter mean by 'your villainous sibling'?"

Blossom pushed aside her daughters hand and the paper. "Cat, I'm driving. I can't be reading things now!"

Cat tugged on Blossom's sleeve repeatedly.

"Cat! Stop that!"

Cat hit the dashboard of the car with her fist so hard it caused the car to swerve slightly on the road.

"Cat!" Blossom hit the brakes. She looked at her daughter who had an angry look on her face. She was frantically signing something, but Blossom couldn't catch everything she was saying. "Cat, _slow down_. You know I can't read you that fast."

Cat rolled her eyes and started signing again at a ridiculously slow pace, so that it was certain her mom could understand: "Three years ago… the news said… it was the ten year anniversary…. of your sister… becoming evil…. You said… they had… their facts… wrong…. That your only sister… was Bubbles… who was always… a hero…. Now… this reporter said…. 'your villainous sibling,'" the twelve-year-old picked up her paper she had written on before and showed it to her mom again, pointing at the word, "villainous." She continued with her fingers: "Did she… have her facts… wrong, too?" The little girl raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms sternly.

Blossom cleared her throat and returned her eyes to the road and slowly accelerated again. "Yes," she answered simply.

Cat threw up her hands in defeat and reclined backwards in her seat. She knew her mother was hiding something. Three years ago, she and her sisters all knew she was hiding something. When they questioned people in the town on the matter then, everyone acted weird; everyone avoided them; no one gave the same answer.

As Cat entered the house with Blossom, she received her scolding. "How could you break the poor man's fingers, Cat? Do you know that you are expelled from the school now? I don't know what to do with you now! We're going to have to get you a personal tutor, but I don't know if anyone will be willing to work with you after this whole ordeal! Do you realize just how serious this situation is--"

Blossom stopped, when she noticed her daughter's eyes not on her, but on the television set in the living room. Before she had rushed out to retrieve Cat at the school, Blossom had been watching the news on TV, and it was still on.

On the screen was a current picture of Cat, along side of a thirteen-year-old photograph of her sister when she was fifteen and still known to the world as "Buttercup." The extremely close physical resemblance between the two was undeniable. Young Cat seemed to gravitate toward the television screen as if caught in a trance.

"It's obvious that she is turning into that exact same person. There is absolutely no denying it now!"

"Exactly, Bill! No denying it! Not after today! This kid's teacher is said to be in critical condition right now! "

"So that begs the question: Do the citizens of Neighborfield have to be worried about mass destruction, killing and chaos just as the citizens of Townsville did thirteen years ago? Just because Blossom denies her genetic ties to the girl, does not mean that those _Powerpuff _genes that are that _villain's _also are _hers_, and _her daughters'_, particularly _Cat's_! Just how much more time will there be before young Cat completely _snaps _just like Bu--"

Blossom had finally reached the remote control and turned the TV off. Cat immediately snapped out of her hypnotized state and whipped around and faced Blossom. She stomped her feet angrily and pointed at the TV: "Turn it back on!" she signed. "Turn it on!"

Blossom shook her head, "No."

Cat stomped her foot on the ground so hard the entire house shook. She glared at Blossom with the meanest look Blossom had ever seen from a child-- a look that made her look more like that "villainous sibling" of hers.

Blossom knelt down in front of Cat, so that her eyes were directly in front of the angry kid's. "Cat, I am trying to protect you, do you understand? _I am protecting you_. You can't listen to that trash. The media is cruel and nasty and they are nothing but liars. Do you hear me? They are _lying_, Cat." Blossom bit her lip as she looked into Cat's eyes. She wasn't expecting something like this from the media. Normally, the local news never had stories concerning Jojo and the outside war. It looked as if her daughter's outburst had triggered a media frenzy.

Cat shook her head and signed forcefully, with swift and quick jabs of her fingers: "_You're _the liar."

Cat flew past her mother and began to ascend the stairway to her room. She stopped and faced her mom at the top of the staircase. She began signing, still with much force and anger: "Mr. Collins was trying to teach me a word I already knew. He knew I knew it, but kept on taunting me with it. Signing it over and over again and trying to get me to sign it back. He wouldn't stop, so I broke his desk and his fingers."

Cat gave a firm nod as if her explanation was more than enough to justify harming the man and began to retreat to her room again.

"Cat," Blossom called out for her to stop.

The yellow-eyed girl turned around and faced Blossom again: "What?"

"What was the word?"

Cat paused and gritted her teeth for several moments. Her eyes fell on the ground and her expression slowly melted from angry to sad, as she slowly raised her right hand, positioned it on the left side of her face with her index finger pointed out, slowly slid it across her face, retracting her index finger once it reached the right.

"Ugly."

* * *

"It's been just under two years since that girl's accident, and she's already blown up at her school just as you had. Only it took you… what was it? _Five years _to build up that much anger-- contempt-- scorn--rage? I wonder if she has killed a man yet. She would definitely have you beat and defeated then, am I right?"

"Yeah, well, my accident didn't cause me to lose the ability to talk, now did it? I probably would have lost it much earlier if something that messed up had happened to me."

"It still left you really ugly though. I would judge much uglier than she."

Jojo laughed. "Yeah, that's always true." She took a sip from her glass of wine. "Ain't you gonna drink any of yours, Old Man?" she looked across the table at the elderly chimp, sitting opposite from her.

"No, that would be impossible, because I am not really here and am merely a hallucination, a falsified presence and byproduct of your increasing insanity, Son. How many times must we go over this? How many extra glasses of wine must you pour before you realize this second glass here will never be consumed, for I cannot consume it, for I am nothing more than an illusion?"

"Oh yeah," Jojo grinned behind her glass. "Well, I don't care. So just keep on humoring me with some conversation, alright?" The twenty-eight-year-old villain reclined in her chair and propped both her feet up on the table in front of her.

"What table manners you've maintained since my passing," the ghostly vision of Mojo Jojo rolled his eyes.

"Hey," Buttercup pointed at the monkey, "I'm the mayor and ruler of twenty-nine different cities, alright. I can do whatever I want."

"You should be the mayor and ruler of at least _eighty_-nine by now."

"Hey, you can't rush world conquest--"

"You are slacking."

"Relax, Dad. It won't be long before we got little Cat on our side. After that, things will be a piece of cake. We'll take over the entire country overnight I bet. You'll see."

"You should not rely so heavily on that young girl. What makes you think she will want world conquest, domination, and occupation? Do not believe so easily that she will happily accept the title of 'villain' just as you did. Do not think she will eagerly pursue that same career. After all, her mother _did _raise her, knowing full well of her potential villainy. I am certain Blossom took many, careful precautions these past seven years to avoid that child's fate to the best of her ability."

"Hey!" Jojo straightened her posture and swung her feet off from the table. She slammed her wine glass down on the table, "Blossom ain't her mother! I am! And she's gonna be a villain, 'cause that's what I am! You were and so I was and so she will be!"

"Do not be so damn childish. Did I not teach you anything?"

Before Jojo could respond to her dead father, he disappeared. The door behind the empty seat opened and Princess walked inside. "Who are you talking to?"

"Just my dad."

"Again?"

"Yeah, so what?"

Princess raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips. "You need to start seeing a doctor or something?"

Jojo just grinned as she stood from her seat and walked across the room towards Princess. "What did you want?"

"There's something on the TV I think you would want to see."

"What's that?"

"According to this breaking news report, little Cat has run away from home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Villain: The Epilogue**

**Chapter 2**

"The word is… _aphonia_."

"_Aphonia_. May I have the definition, please?"

"_Aphonia_. Loss of voice resulting from disease, injury to the vocal chords, or psychological reasons, such as hysteria. _Aphonia_."

"_Aphonia_. A-P-H-O-N-I-A. _Aphonia_."

"That is correct."

Blossom had placed first in her elementary school's Spelling Bee, when she was just eight years old. It was just a friendly school-wide competition between children ages eight through twelve, which the young Puff didn't take too seriously. She wanted to win, but there was no doubt in her mind that she would. There were only eleven other contestants-- the average kid didn't dream of a Spelling Bee victory, after all. But the Professor was excited about potentially having one of his daughters winning the same "honor" he had received at the age of ten, the Spelling Bee Champ of his own elementary school. So Blossom competed. Just for him.

The winning word, which Blossom had managed to spell so effortlessly and had been long since forgotten by the redhead over a span of some twenty years, would not be spoken to her since that day.

"She's going to be okay after all," the doctor said. Before Blossom's mood could lift, he quickly added: "Unfortunately," pulling the worrisome mother's spirits right back down, "there will be some… _long term _damage."

Blossom's eyes fell back on her sleeping, bruised and battered daughter in the hospital bed. They said she wasn't going to wake up, but she had. Just for a minute and thirty-seven seconds. The little Puff's yellow eyes opened slowly and stayed open. It shocked everyone in the room to see her slowly turn her head and gaze at the crowd of Blossom, her sisters, a nurse and a doctor, after being asleep for fifteen straight days. The doctor asked if she could understand him. He asked if she could nod her head and she did. He asked if she could lift her hand and she did. He asked if she could wiggle her toes and she did. He asked if she could say something. She pursed her lips for several seconds as her forehead wrinkled and she closed her eyes, looking strained. Her little lips parted slightly, but no noise escaped from them. They closed, and opened and closed, as if she was saying something, only no words were audible. She was like a person on the TV while it was on mute. There was absolutely no sound coming from the little girl. She seemed completely unaware of this fact as she drifted back to sleep. And that's when the tests immediately began.

"What type of damage?"

"Well, as you know, every injury results in some degree of scarring. And, unfortunately, Cat's injuries were, of course, quite extensive…"

"So, some scarring. That's all?"

"Well, unfortunately, no." The doctor cleared his throat and paused for quite some time. "Cat has suffered major trauma to the neck area, above all else. I have diagnosed your daughter with a condition known as aphonia. You see her vocal folds have--"

"Aphonia," Blossom repeated. "Loss of voice resulting from disease, injury to the vocal chords, or psychological reasons, such as hysteria. _Aphonia_." She turned to the doctor. "There is absolutely nothing you can do?"

"Unfort--"

Blossom cut the man off before she could hear that word again. She was tired of "unfortunately." "Aphonia," she repeated to herself, shaking her head at the word.

"Tell me," Blossom said, not expecting an answer from anyone, nor directing the question to anyone in particular, "How does a parent tell her child that she has no voice?"

The doctor said nothing for some time. "I'll have the nurse give you the contact information of a very good speech therapist. I've worked with her many times. Cat is still young. Little ones have no trouble picking up on new things. I'm sure sign language will come as natural to her as, well, flying. The therapist will work with you, as well. Everything will be fine, Ms. Utonium."

* * *

Cat stood in front of the mirror that hung on the wall of her bedroom. She stared at her reflection with a harsh glare, as if she could attempt to scare herself. The young girl tugged on her curls and pulled them down as far as they could stretch, in an attempt to cover the scars left on the right side of her neck and lower jaw. Her tight, black curls sprung back into place as soon as she let them go.

Giving up on trying to disguise her imperfections, she bravely faced them. She pulled back her jet black hair and turned her face to get a better look at her scars. They stretched from just below her right ear and continued diagonally to the corner of her lip; from there, they traveled straight down her neck and disappeared below her t-shirt's collar. They were thick and dark. So dark, at night she gave off the appearance that she was completely missing the lower right portion of her face. She let her hair bounce back into place, her black curls falling just chin-length and her bangs dropped low and shielding her whole right side of her face. Fashioned that way, her hair helped give her a normal appearance. One would only notice her imperfections if they were to look at her twice.

Cat then yanked on her shirt collar, extending it as far right as it would go, hooking it over her right shoulder. She tilted her head and gazed at the gruesome marks which continued all alongside her right shoulder blade, before finally ending. They dug in deep into her skin, like a black canyon. Slowly, she traced the marks with her finger. She studied her fingertip, as if expecting to see black residue left behind, but it was clean. She had done this ritual on a daily basis since she first noticed her scars blackening. She tried again, pressing harder with her fingertip, to wipe the dark color, but again nothing changed.

"Ugly," she said to herself in her own mind-- the only place in which her voice still existed. "If I'm ugly, then what is that broken-fingered fool?" She tugged on her collar until it snapped back into place.

She stared at herself some more and tried to picture herself without the dark marks. She could not remember what she looked like without them, she had grown so used to the scars. It was like trying to imagine oneself without a nose. Not just her nose, but any nose. Strange and illogical. Almost silly. Why wouldn't one have a nose? Yet no one considered possessing a nose to be hideous. That's how people saw her scars though. That's what had to make her "ugly," right? They weren't like the average scars one acquires. They started off looking normal, but they eventually worsened in darkness and thickness. Cat had seen scars like that before, but where, she could not recall. She had seen them somewhere early in life, but hadn't seen them since on another person until earlier that day on the TV-- on that girl whose picture was shown beside her own. She stared at the scars on her face again with great intensity, and for a split moment she thought she had seen the face of someone else staring back at her through her own reflection. The face of that strange girl.

She wrinkled her nose as she peered at her reflection even harder. She was almost average in every other aspect. Maybe she was a little pale. She had freckles on her back and shoulder blades, but no one could see that. She was double jointed in places, but again no one knew this by merely looking at her, and only her sisters had had the honor of being grossed out by her performing her little trick of bending and twisting her arms so that her elbows stuck out, directly forward. She was maybe a little pudgy, but that was her mom's doing, who had always been obsessive when it came to Cat finishing her meals, which always appeared to be slightly larger in portion than her sisters'. Other than these small features that went pretty much unnoticed to the average eye, there was nothing abnormal about her. But after several minutes of staring and judging every little bit of her own appearance, and remembering what everyone had been saying, Cat hardly felt normal anymore.

Her eyes fell on her scars again, and she frowned.

There was a knock on her door, and she answered by giving one loud knock on the wood of her desk, signaling that it was okay for her visitor to enter. Her redheaded sister, Cherry, followed by her brunette sister, Candy entered the room.

"Cat, what happened at school?" Candy wasted no time. "All the kids were saying that you killed Mr. Collins! You didn't do that, right? Of course not! Right?"

"Of course those rumors are false, Candy," Cherry rolled her eyes. "Cat would never do such a horrible thing." She paused for a moment, somewhat remembering her sister's bad temper. "Right, Cat?"

Cat rolled her eyes. She signed her answer: "I just broke his fingers. That's all."

Cherry gasped. "Cat! How could you?"

"What? What'd she say?" Candy questioned, who had had trouble learning American Sign Language, unlike Cherry who learned almost as quickly as Cat herself. "Oh, no, she _did _kill him?"

"_No_," Cherry said. "She broke his fingers. Which is still _bad_," she said narrowing her eyes at her tomboy sibling.

"Just five of them," Cat signed next, with a shrug of her shoulders. She paused, before continuing. "Did you hear anything else?" she directed at Cherry.

"Hear what? There's _more_?"

Cat looked over her shoulders at the door to her bedroom. She brought a finger to her lips, signaling to her sister, Cherry, to keep silent. The two had done this many times since Cat's muteness. Something positive that had come out of the accident, was the new ability to communicate silently and secretly without their mother hearing the conversation. "There were reporters. They were saying funny stuff," Cat signed.

"What kind of funny stuff?" Cherry returned in sign language.

"They kept asking Mom about a 'villainous sibling.' I asked her, 'What villainous sibling?' and asked if it was like last time when she said the news had their facts wrong. She said that was it. We got home and the TV was on. The news was talking about a villain. Said the villain had genetic ties with Mom. With us. With me. Me especially they said. They had my picture on TV. It was next to hers."

"Who? The villain?"

Cat nodded. She looked over her shoulder again before continuing the silent conversation. "They were comparing me to her. Said I had snapped like she did."

"Like her? A villain?"

Cat nodded again.

"But you aren't evil. You're a super hero."

Cat shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe that girl wasn't a villain. Maybe they're exaggerating about what she did. They are exaggerating about what I did today. Talking about how Mr. Collins is in 'critical condition.' No way. He's fine. _Fine_." Cat emphasized the word by signing it several times.

"Maybe," Cherry signed, before scratching her chin in thought.

"You guys," Candy interrupted with a loud voice, "What _is _it? _Maybe _what?"

Cat waved a hand at her pigtailed sister, signaling for her to quiet down. "Mom is hiding something. She is lying," Cat said to Cherry with her fingers and a stern face. "_Lying_." She shook her head. "She wouldn't tell me what they meant. She just told me she was trying to protect me. Said they were lying." Cat shook her head again. "_She's _lying."

Just then, the silence was broken by a crash from outside. The three siblings exchanged glances before rushing to the window. They pulled back the curtains and peered outside.

There was a crowd of people below, and they all seemed angry. They were yelling and chanting something inaudible through the window. They held banners and protest signs. They read: "Not Another Townsville." "We Are Not Part of the War." "My Parents Died in the Townsville Genocide. My Children Will Not Die Here."

Several of the signs held by the mob had photos of Cat, and several of them had photos of another person who Cat finally recognized.

"Jojo? The villain who killed Mom's dad and sister?" Cherry said just as Cat thought it to herself. "Just what is going on? What does _she _have to do with anything?" the leader said with her jaw dropped, as she watched approaching cop cars pull up the family's driveway and the mob continue to smash another window of their house with a large brick.

"Girls!" Blossom called out as she rushed up the stairway. She ran into the room and immediately pulled the window curtains shut, blocking her daughters' view to the mayhem outdoors.

The doorbell rung and Blossom froze. She carefully peeked out the window again and saw that it was the police. "Girls, stay here," she said, her mind frantically racing. "And stay away from that window."

"Mommy, what's going on--" Candy began, but Blossom was already running down the stairs.

The former Powerpuff answered the door, and showed in the six police men that were standing outside. She quickly shut the door behind them. "Oh, thank goodness you are here," Blossom breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't know what those people want. Please get them away from my house and children as quick as possible."

"I'm afraid we can't help you with that. We're here on different business, Ma'am."

Blossom stared at the men. "What?" she blinked. Behind her, Cherry, Cat and Candy were slowly descending the staircase and stood beside their mother.

"We have a warrant for Cat's arrest," one of the cops announced. He was a relatively short man, who believed himself to be at least ten feet tall with his bright and shiny, powerful badge.

Blossom's jaw dropped. "You must be _joking_."

"Arrest her for what?" Cherry demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "Mom, they can't just arrest her for nothing."

"We have a warrant," the same cop repeated, crossing his arms and stepping aside to allow two other policemen to approach Cat. The yellow Puff's eyes widened and she stumbled backwards, away from the strange men. When they both pulled out a pair of handcuffs, the little girl quickly disappeared up the flight of stairs with a flash of yellow light, prompting the cops to immediately chase after her. However, by the time they reached the home's second story, Cat had already flown well past the city's borders.

* * *

"Boss?"

"_What?_" Jojo answered, feeling very much annoyed about having her television being interrupted. She had been following the news' breaking story about young Cat's run from the law for the last hour. Her eyes went from the TV to the door, to the TV and back to the door. She kept expecting Cat to walk through it at any moment. She would ask to be a villain, just like her. It was something she had been expecting from the kid since she was born, and finally, Jojo thought the day had come. "Where the hell is she?" Jojo thought to herself. "Doesn't take _that _long to get here from Neighborfield. Where the hell else would she be running away to?"

"It's time," Ace announced.

"Oh," Jojo said, remembering the appointment she had previously been looking forward to all day. "Well then, let's go."

The Revolution is what every villain, crook and criminal called their movement. Every other civilian referred to their actions as simply, "the war." Only it wasn't much of a war, as it was more of a slow and steady invasion. There was often little resistance when Jojo, the leader of the war, announced she would be taking a city on behalf of the villains. The police of the towns only fought back for so long; the politicians only pleaded so far.

Jojo could not help but notice, however, that just how long cities would fight back was gradually increasing. Every takeover was just a little more work, but of course, every takeover meant just a little more as she and the villains neared world conquest. For instance, this town would be number thirty in the collection of properties now owned and ruled by Evil. And this town was not going down without a fight.

Jojo arrived at the city's capital exactly at the hour she had told the mayor she would. "You have until eight o' clock tonight to leave. Before you do so, you must replace your city's flag with ours. Because it's _our _city now." That's what she would always say to the politicians in charge, and usually they would comply. Jojo would arrive on scene with the other villains and they would see black flags ripping through the air, and that would be it.

Only this time, Jojo arrived to see the city's flag still cast. On the steps of the capital, there was a large crowd of citizens, politicians and policemen. The sheriff stepped forward as Jojo approached. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Jojo. You are not taking this city today."

Jojo blinked at the mustached man. She looked over her shoulder to the Gangreen Gang, Princess and Sedusa who had accompanied her, and grinned. She then turned back to face the sheriff and laughed. She placed a hand on his shoulder and chuckled: "Oh, that's a good one, Sheriff." The villains behind her joined in laughing.

"We're not joking," the man crossed his arms, firmly. He wore a serious face, but it only barely masked the fear in his eyes.

The silly grin on the green-eyed villain's face didn't leave. "Oh, really?" she asked, still with her hand resting on his shoulder, and inching forward a bit, so that her face was uncomfortably close to his.

"Yes," the man said with a nervous gulp.

"Well, neither are we," Jojo casually smiled as if she had just invited the man over for dinner. She gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, before grasping hold of him by his shirt and flinging him with one hand, like a rag doll. He flew a clear fifty feet before slamming into the wall of the capital, completely shattering the brick behind him with a cloud of chalky smoke.

Jojo marched up to the mayor of the city who stood in front of the crowd as well. She was an elderly woman, much like the female version of the former mayor of Townsville, only apparently, not as dumb. In Jojo's eyes the little woman's bravery was pure and simple stupidity. "Now what did I say to you this morning, Mrs. Wallis?"

"That would be _Mayor _Wallis, young lady," the little white-haired lady announced.

"No, no, no," Jojo shook her head. "You _were _Mayor Wallis. Remember? The city is mine now. That makes you just regular, old Mrs. Wallis now. Now, Mrs. Wallis, what did I say to you this morning? I don't see _my _flag up there. What did I say would happen if I didn't see my flag up there at eight o'clock tonight?"

"You would never blow up a city you wish to rule. Why on earth would you destroy something, just to say you own it? You wouldn't kill the citizens you seek to reign over. That just wouldn't make sense. Now who would you rule if they were all dead?"

Jojo smiled. The old lady thought that she had everything figured out. "_Politicians_," the green-eyed villain laughed to herself. "Think they know _everything_." She returned her attention to the short little lady in her bright blue pants suit. "Mrs. Wallis, you're forgetting that I already have plenty of people to reign over. _Millions _of them. Not more than thirty miles back that way, I have a population of about eight hundred thousand in Citysville. That's just one city, lady. One. And you know what? They're a little cramped over there." Jojo brought her fingers to her chin, and grinned, surveying the city around her. "They could use a little extra space. Yeah, some land that ain't got no residents no more 'cause they all tragically died. All 'cause their smart ass _mayor_ couldn't listen to some simple instructions."

With that, the villain formerly known as Buttercup extended her fists, which were now glowing bright, neon green. "Well," she began, taking aim, "Let's get things all cleared up and ready then." The electric fire shot from her open hands and acted like a deadly bulldozer, completely and easily demolishing anything that stood in its path. The thick, block of green, fiery rays cut through for a straight hundred miles and after nine minutes, Jojo closed her fist, revealing a clean path of destruction which ended neatly at the very far end of the city's borders. "That's the west side," Jojo grinned. She turned and faced the crowd of citizens who stood behind the ex-mayor Wallis. "And now for the east."

* * *

As Cat flew far from Neighborfield, she had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she couldn't turn around and go home. As she flew, she spotted something approaching her fast and head-on. She halted in the air and watched it flying towards her in the far distance. It was a block of green light. Her eyes widened, and she knew whatever it was, couldn't be good and quickly darted upward in the sky, narrowly missing the bright beam as it flew right underneath her.

She watched the destruction happening below with wide eyes. Everything within the glow ignited in green flames, before exploding into ashes almost instantly and disintegrating into absolute nothing. Trees, animals, buildings--the very earth itself-- all perished under the green glow. And then within moments, it was all over. And all that was left behind was just plain and simple _death_.

For a while, the Powerpuff girl could do nothing but stare at the demolition beneath her. Cat's super hearing then picked up on screams coming from the same direction that the green beam had came from. Before she even realized it, she found herself speeding towards the screaming.

It wasn't long before there weren't any screams anymore. In fact, the super hero was too late. When she arrived at the scene, there were hundreds of lifeless bodies scattered all about the burning city. And in the distance was a villain she had only seen in person a total of three times before that moment-- Jojo.

Her mother had always instructed her and her sisters to flee at the sight of Jojo, and to never fight the villain. Cat couldn't remember when she last saw the villain, but it had to have been about four or five years. Jojo was the monster who had killed their aunt and grandfather, according to Blossom, and that was all Cat knew about the villain.

Cat stood frozen for several moments as she watched Jojo laugh hysterically at the burning buildings behind her. Suddenly, she recalled the mob outside her home and the signs which had photos of Jojo along side photos of herself. "She has to know what Mom's hiding from us," Cat thought to herself. "But for now, I have to stop her from causing any more harm. This is my chance to prove myself. They say I can't fight crime anymore-- that it's too risky. I'll show 'em. I'll stop the evilest evil herself-- Jojo. Then they'll _have _to let me fight again."

Jojo cackled as loudly as the flames of the burning scenery which surrounded her. She then turned and faced the only human still alive and standing: ex-mayor Wallis. "See?" she said to the terrified old woman, "I told you I'd do it." She held up a glowing fist and aimed it at Wallis, "Now, your turn."

Just before Jojo could unleash her death ray on the old lady, she suddenly found a little girl standing in front of her prey. It was Cat. The little girl had a mean and serious scowl on her face, and her body was tense with her little arms outstretched to show she was protecting the old woman. Jojo lowered her death ray and blinked at the kid, very much confused as to what she was doing.

Cat held up a piece of paper and Jojo took it from her small grasp and read it:

"Not so fast, Jojo."


	3. Chapter 3

**Villain: The Epilogue**

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_A/N: Extremely short chapter and not a whole lot happens, but I promise the next chapter will have much action and awesomeness._

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Jojo stared at the kid's writing in her hands. She glanced over the small sheet of paper at the yellow-eyed tomboy, who still looked serious, but Jojo could sense a small amount of fear in her yellow eyes.

Jojo raised an eyebrow. "You're going to stop me, are you, Kiddo?"

Cat's eyes narrowed and she tried her best to ignore the bad feeling inside that told her that her mission was suicide. She gave a firm single nod and planted her feet, solid in a battle-ready stance.

A smirk swept Jojo's face. She didn't say anything for a while, while she observed the Puff. "I heard you don't fight crime no more," the villain began. "No wait-- I heard you _can't _fight crime no more. Am I right? Too dangerous for you, right?"

Cat gritted her teeth.

"But that's what _they _say, huh?" Jojo continued. "You think you're still capable, right? _They _just don't think so." Jojo paused and watched Cat for some sort of reaction, but the kid hardly gave a blink.

Instead, the thirteen-year-old cocked back her right fist and moved in to serve a punch to the villain's gut. Jojo simply stepped aside and caught the youngster's fist in the air.

Cat pulled herself from the grip, and went for another punch. Again, Jojo caught it with much ease. This time, instead of just holding onto the kid, she slammed the girl against the pavement.

Cat landed on her back and hit her head hard against the ground. She winced as she tried to sit up quickly, only when she pried her eyes open she immediately saw a glowing fist just inches from her face. The little girl's heart ceased beating as she stared up at the villain who hovered above her. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for death, wishing then that she had listened to her mother.

When a full minute passed and Cat realized she was still alive, she opened her eyes. Jojo still stood above her, but had her arms crossed then. She raised an eyebrow at Cat. "You really don't know just who I am, do you, Kiddo?"

Cat only stared back at her and wondered why the criminal hadn't killed her. Her mother had told her that the villain was heartless and merciless. She killed her mother's sister and her father and tried her hardest to kill her, too. She was the worst kind of evil, and if Cat or her sisters had ever challenged the monster to a battle and they lost, they would lose their lives as well.

But her mom had lied before and what if everything she said about Jojo was just that?-- Another lie. She had always been so secretive about that specific villain for some reason. And if Jojo was so evil and wanted her mother dead so much, then why hadn't Cat and her sisters seen more of the villain? Why hadn't Jojo caused trouble in Neighborfield? From the looks of what she was doing in that city, it didn't seem like the monster had retired from her crooked ways. So why hadn't Cat had the chance to face the crook in battle before?

Suddenly, Cat found a hand in her face again, only it wasn't glowing with a death ray. Jojo held out her hand for the youngster to take. Reluctantly, the Powerpuff Girl took the villain's hand and she helped her to her feet.

"Princess," Jojo said without taking her eyes off the girl who stared up at her with a confused look.

"Yes?" the redheaded villain answered as she took her place beside Jojo.

"Tell me what my little mute friend knows about me."

Princess looked Cat up and down and crinkled her nose. "You're really evil. Killed Bubbles and the Professor. And she's supposed to stay away from you because Blossom said you'd kill her."

"That's _it_?"

"Yep."

Cat looked from Princess to Jojo, confused as to what was happening.

"I can read minds," Princess answered the little girl with a wink. "I also know you know Blossom hasn't told you the whole truth. And you want to know."

"Is that right?" Jojo smiled. She signaled with her head, "Come on, Kiddo. I know those cops are after you. Saw it on the news. You're in some trouble, right? Well, why don't you hide out for a while at the one place the cops don't dare bother, huh?"

When the kid didn't budge, Jojo added: "And how 'bout I let you in on everything your _mom _ain't telling you? How's that sound? And I'll tell you right now, I ain't gonna kill you. Your mom lied about that one. If I had wanted to kill you, I'd have already done it. As you can see, it ain't hard for me."

Cat bit her lip. She looked over her shoulder at the terrified elderly woman she had tried to save earlier. The former mayor was shaking with fear where she stood.

"Oh yeah," Jojo said, raising a glowing fist again. She opened her fingers and a sharp, bright green light shot from her palm. It hit the old woman, who fell to the ground as her body was engulfed in a bright sphere of green fire and electricity. After several seconds, she was motionless on the pavement, and Jojo closed her fist.

Cat gaped at the sight of the dead woman and then slowly looked to Jojo who was just smiling casually at the young girl.

"It's a business. She had her chance, but she chose to die. It was _her _choice, not mine. Just doing business. We all gotta have a trade in life, and this is just mine, Kiddo." Jojo placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward a little, towards the little Puff. "So you coming or aren't you?"

Cat felt both torn and scared. She had just witnessed the villain kill a human being before her eyes. She had never seen death before, and was in shock that it had just happened. She knew she wasn't supposed to follow the villain, but her curiosity about the mystery surrounding Jojo was too much. She needed to know just who this woman was, and why the citizens of her city were comparing Cat to her, and why her mother denied so much.

When Cat didn't answer for three minutes straight, and continued to just stare blankly at her, Jojo sighed and turned to leave. "Alright then. See you around, Kiddo."

Cat only watched as the villain began to walk away. She didn't know what to do. Suddenly she heard a voice in her head: "She was once a Powerpuff Girl, you know."

Cat looked to either side and saw Princess ahead of her, just smiling. She nodded her head and signaled at Jojo who was taking her exit in the distance. "She was a Powerpuff just like your mom," the redheaded villain's voice echoed inside Cat's head. "Just like Bubbles. And just like you. The Professor created the three of them and they fought crime together for ten years."

Cat only stared at Princess.

"Didn't know that, did you?"

"She's… my mom's sister?"

Princess nodded. "Well, something like that." She smiled. "You know you want to come and learn more, so just come on."

For Cat, that information was just enough to follow the villain back to the City of Townsville-- a town she had never heard of before and knew absolutely nothing about.

The villains who had accompanied Jojo rode back to Townsville in a private limousine. Normally, Jojo would ride back with them, but since she had someone who also shared the ability of flight with her, she decided a flight home would be nice.

"I want to give you a tour, Kiddo," Jojo told Cat as the two watched the other villains drive away. "Something tells me you ain't never left Neighborfield before, am I right?"

Cat nodded. She still felt afraid of Jojo even though the villain had promised she wouldn't kill her. But there was something about the green-eyed crook that felt familiar. Almost an instinct sort of trust came with it. Still, she was a villain, and one who had just killed an entire population of people in less than fifteen minutes time, so Cat remained naturally very skeptical and very fearful.

As they flew, Cat kept a cautious distance away from Jojo. She watched her carefully. The villain kept her gaze ahead, however and seemed completely unaware of the youngster's stare.

Cat studied Jojo's appearance. She could not believe that the villain was related to the woman she knew as her mother. Jojo looked much older than she-- the villain had dark, deep circles under her eyes and her face was much more worn. She looked at least ten years older than Blossom. But if she was indeed created as a part of a trio just as Cat had been with her own sisters, then that meant she shouldn't have been even a mere ten seconds apart from Blossom.

"Look down," Jojo's voice interrupted Cat's thoughts. "This will be the next city to be claimed by us."

Cat gazed down at the scenery below. Her eyes widened as she saw pure terror on the streets beneath her. It was a mad collection of burning buildings, blaring police sirens, citizens screaming and crooks' laughter for miles upon miles. There were explosions happening in one section of the city and Cat could see hundreds of soldiers, armored tanks and about a dozen of large beasts trying their hardest to knock down and destroy their surroundings.

Jojo looked over at Cat. "Don't tell me: You had no idea there was a war happening throughout the rest of the world, right?"

Cat stared at Jojo and shook her head.

Jojo laughed a little. "That Blossom," she shook her head. "She sure did try her damn hardest to keep you the hell away from me, huh?"

* * *

"Ms. Utonium, do you know where your daughter may be?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"…Yes."

It was a lie. Of course, Blossom had a pretty good idea of where Cat was. But if she told the cop that, not only would they go to arrest the child, which was why they had gone to their home in the first place, but she'd also have to admit it to herself. It was something she was not ready to face.

This couldn't be happening.

Not again.

Blossom saw the similarities Cat shared with her former sister from the moment the young girl was born. She had that scowl on her face-- the exact same look Buttercup had always worn. And when Cat spoke, she had Buttercup's attitude. She'd call her sister Candy a "big baby" just like Buttercup had done to Bubbles. And she'd refer to Cherry as "Red" and "Goody Goody" just as Buttercup had done to her. She'd throw the same tantrums and pick those same fights. She had the same temper.

Then she hadn't developed a special power just like Buttercup. Cherry was five when she learned she had the ability to create and control powerful, tornado-like gusts of wind with a simple wave of her finger. The red Puff was simply trying to point at the dress she wanted to wear to school that day, but ended up blowing the entire closet apart. Candy was six when she developed the ability to control the rain. Just like any kid on a stormy, gray day, the orange Puff was sitting at her bedroom window singing "Rain, Rain, Go Away" only to discover it actually did. Later when she decided she would like it back so that she could have some puddles to play in, it came back on her command. But Cat never developed her own special power just like Buttercup hadn't. Because Buttercup's power was discovered in villainy. Was it the same for Cat?

_No_.

Then she got in the accident, and got those scars just like Buttercup. Those damn scars that marked the beginning of her own sister's descent into evil. And ever since Cat's accident, the girl had grown more and more mean and prone to temper tantrums. Sometimes going so far as to telling her and her sisters "I hate you," just like Buttercup had began to say to her as a preteen. That hateful look in her eyes. It was just like Buttercup's and the hatred seemed to only grow. Was it because she was beginning her own descent?

_No_.

And now she had run away from home, just like Buttercup. Buttercup ran away to Mojo Jojo-- the villain who turned out to be her "real" father, according to Buttercup. The villain, whose name she would take as her own and who she would do anything for. Had Cat ran away to her? Would Cat call her "mom" and be just as obedient as she was to him?

"_No_," Blossom said aloud to herself as she watched the angry mob outside from the living room window of her home. She stared at her former sister's face on one of the picket signs. "You can't have her, Buttercup," she said, ignoring any confused look from the policemen and her two daughters. "_She's not yours_."

"Mom?" Cherry watched Blossom, feeling uneasy.

"Call the department if you hear from your daughter, Ms. Utonium. We'll be back in the morning."

When the policemen left, Cherry tried again: "_Mom_," she said loudly.

Blossom suddenly snapped out of her almost hypnotic state. She looked at her daughters. "Girls, go to bed now. We have to get up very early to go and bring your sister back home, okay?"

"But we don't know where she is," Candy said.

"Mom, I'm sure she'll come back home after a while," Cherry said. "She knows the cops won't be at our house all night long. She's probably just waiting it out. I mean, where else would she go?"

Blossom took her daughters' hands and began to lead them up the stairs to their rooms. "Bedtime," she repeated. "We're getting up early."

* * *

"This kid is stubborn. I mean, you shoulda seen the look in her eyes when I showed her a few battles. She's still got that hatred towards me, and she's supposed to be like me! I mean, even before I realized I was evil, I had some sort of respect towards bad guys and could see skill when it was there."

Jojo and Cat had arrived at Townsville late at night. The "tour" hadn't impressed little Cat like Jojo had hoped it would. To Cat, she didn't know what to make of everything she witnessed and learned that night. She still didn't know much about Jojo other than what Princess had revealed to her earlier.

"Are you talking to me or are you talking to your dad?" Princess asked.

Jojo looked over her shoulder at Princess. "Both of you."

Princess rolled her eyes and decided to temporarily ignore her lover's insanity. "What do you expect? She hasn't been told anything and is suddenly thrown into all this stuff? She doesn't know what to think, Jojo. She doesn't know who to trust. She's completely lost in all this."

"Perhaps once she hears your story, things will be a little clearer to her. She does not trust you, because as of this moment you have been nothing but some villain to her," the non existent Mojo Jojo, who only Jojo could see and hear, began. "You try and impress, show off, and astonish her by presenting your accomplishments to her, but she does not know them as accomplishments for she does not know where you came from and what you've fought for. She only knows evil as the definition her mother has taught her-- that her little gated community taught her. She does not know the pride that comes with the title of 'villain.' Right now she knows she's not supposed to trust somebody like you, but her alternative is Blossom who she also knows to be a liar. So which lie does she believe?"

"But I ain't lying!" Jojo shouted angrily at the thin air. "Can't she see that?"

"Apparently she cannot. As I said, Blossom made certain to keep you as the biggest fear to be had in this world. Even when a child first learns that the Boogie Man isn't real, she's still afraid of the dark for some time, before she finally tosses out her nightlight."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jojo blinked. "I'm not some Boogie Man, I'm her goddamn mother!"

"Okay," Princess interjected, "I can see you're having it out with that dead monkey again, so I'll just leave you to it." She left the room.

"Now, whatever you do," the monkey raised an eyebrow, "Do not tell her of your role in her creation. Tell her your story. Tell her of your relationship to Blossom and you may even tell her about me. Just do not tell her of your connection-- link-- relation to her."

"What am I supposed to let her figure it out on her own? Come on! _Really?_"

"Yes, of course. If she is really like you, then she will figure it out just as you had. In the meantime, you need to work on your own revelations and learn that you are in fact relying on advice from someone who isn't there!"

"Oh, don't start on _that _again."

"Seriously, Son. If I were alive, I'd have you committed by now. Weekends, you would be briefly allowed out to continue on world domination, but come Monday it would be back to the institution for you."

"Hey, you were insane, too. So don't make it out to be a bad thing."

"I was not! How was I, _Mojo Jojo_, insane-- mental-- mad-- _looney_?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it was the whole being convinced that I was boy thing?"

"Ah, yes, I guess there was that."


	4. Chapter 4

**Villain: The Epilogue**

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__A/N: _So _slow at updating this. Sorry folks, but it's been in my head so long that I guess I forget that I haven't technically written it down for others to read yet. To me, it's been finished since _Villain _was finished haha. I'll try and improve on the pace for this, but lately I've had so many things to write, this has sorta taken the backseat, I suppose. _

_But here's some good news!: After completing more than half of this chapter, I decided to split it up into two chapters. So chapter 5?-- It should be done in a few days, since it's mostly done already. Alrighty, I hope you all enjoy. And please review and yell at me to update faster and all that good stuff. *thumbs up* _

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 4**

It had been an interesting day for Cat. Almost too much had happened for her young mind to process that night. She found herself in a strange town, with strange people, and there was a strange and heavy atmosphere in the air.

When she agreed to follow Jojo back to Townsville, she had no idea just what that meant.

There was a war happening, and Cat just couldn't believe it. Not to mention, the infamous villain, Jojo, was her mother's sister. How could this be? How could her mom keep her in the dark this much? What _else _was a lie?

Maybe everything was a lie.

Jojo said she would tell her everything she wanted to know, and this was why she followed the villain. Finally, she would get some answers.

Now, she was in a large bedroom. Jojo had told her she could stay there for the night, and once she was done with some business she'd be back to answer any question Cat may have for her.

The room looked like a younger person's room. Even though it was pretty big, it's contents were pretty modest. There was a TV and some video games-- this was the most expensive feature of the room. An entire wall of the room looked like a library. There were more books in the room than anything else. At least two hundred different titles, but probably more.

As Cat walked along the wall, and observed the books on the bookshelves, she noticed a special set of books set on the very top shelf,. The average person would not be able to reach these books; obviously only one with a ladder or the gift of flight could get them. Cat hovered up to the top shelf and observed the collection which was placed in a special glass case. There were twenty-two books in all. There were quite a few obvious math and science titles that looked like school books. There were a few history titles as well and some books on politics and government.

Cat noticed a sheet of paper sitting on top of the books. She carefully opened the door to the glass case and pulled out the paper, and read its contents. It looked like a letter to someone:

--

_Junior,_

_Below is a list of the texts I have selected for you to study and learn. Select a single title from each subject. Single, as in one, individual book that you will focus on for this subject before moving on to another title, and then you will focus on that one-- alone and solitary-- until moving onto the next and so on and so on! The order in which you select your materials does not matter for you will have to read and know them all! What does matter is that you are always reviewing _one _title from each and every subject matter!_

_Now get to work! That is to say: LET THE LEARNING BEGIN!_

_Sincerely,_

_Your evil, master villain father and caretaker,_

_Mojo Jojo_

_**Literature and Reading Materials for JoJo Junior's Educational Wellbeing, Betterment in Overall Intelligence and Advancement in Villainous Knowledge:**_

_**Subject: Math**_

Practical Algebra: A Self-Teaching Guide, Second Edition.

Algebra: Practice Problems.

Algebra and Trigonometry: Structure and Method Book.

Pre-calculus: Mathematics of Calculus.

Calculus: Practice Problems

_**Subject: Science**_

Earth Science.

Chemistry.

Advanced Chemistry.

Physics.

Advanced Physics.

_**Subject: History**_

World War One: A History.

World War Two: A History.

Napoleon Bonaparte: A Biography.

Essays in Understanding: Formation, Exile, and Totalitarianism.

The Roman Empire: A History.

Ten Days that Shook the World.

_**Subject: Politics and Governing**_

Politics for Dummies _(I suggest you start with this one. No offense.)_

Essential Readings in World Politics, Second Edition.

The Communist Manifesto.

Democracy-- The God That Failed: The Economics and Politics of Monarchy, Democracy and Natural Order.

The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression

_Son, please note that many of the materials listed here may be somewhat biased, as very few villains have been allowed to publish their works, and most authors believe in this preconceived notion that murder, crime, war and striking fear among the "innocent" is "bad." Do not let it affect the evil within you!_

--

Cat studied the names "Mojo Jojo" and "Jojo Junior." She wondered if "Jojo Junior" was the Jojo she knew. Most likely, but who was Mojo Jojo? Jojo's father? That's how he signed the letter anyway.

Cat counted the titles on the letter listed and noticed that there were only twenty-one books listed, but twenty-two in the case. She began to match up the books she saw listed in the letter with the books she saw on the shelf. She noticed one small, black book without a title. It was thin, and a little worn. It had a plain, leather cover, and looked a little like a diary.

Cat returned the letter to wear it sat on top of the other books and took out the small, plain book. She flew down to the floor and walked over to the bed in the room, which was small and twin sized with green bed sheets. She lay on her belly with the book and opened it. As she turned the first page, something fell from the back of the book:

A photograph. It was obviously somebody's birthday in the picture. There were party streamers and a "Happy 18th Birthday" sign hung in the background. There was a cake on the table and a younger Jojo sat there with a big grin on her face. Her face glowed in the burning candle's light. Her eyes were big, and… _innocent _in Cat's opinion. Not at all evil or menacing, like she expected the villain to look all the time. To her left stood a small hairy man. He was so short, he stood on a chair. He was some sort of green, monkey monster, obviously. He had black and grey hair and a green face, and wore some sort of weird helmet. He had his arm draped over Jojo's shoulder, and he smiled a proud smile.

Cat's super hearing picked up on approaching footprints. Quickly, she returned the photo to the pages of the book, and set the book back down, and sat up on the bed.

Jojo entered the room, and closed the door behind her. She stood there for a while, just smiling at Cat, who stared blankly at Jojo. "How's the room?" Jojo said after realizing her stare. "Need anything? You hungry maybe?"

Cat shook her head.

Jojo smiled and looked about the room. "This used to be my room, you know? I was about sixteen when we moved into here." Her eyes fell on the little black book beside Cat. She raised an eyebrow. Cat gulped. "It's alright," Jojo said shaking a hand at the teenager. She walked over to Cat and sat down beside her on the bed, taking the black book in her hands. She handed it over to Cat. "It was my dad's. You should read it; it's pretty good," Jojo said with a laugh. "I should warn you though: he repeats himself a _whole _lot."

Cat opened the book and took the photograph out again and handed it to Jojo.

Jojo took it and her smile faded as soon as her eyes fell on its contents. Cat noticed that the villain's eyes seemed to immediately glaze over and her mind looked distant. The villain cleared her throat a little. "Yep, that's him alright." She pointed at the short chimpanzee. "That's my dad, believe it or not." She glanced over to Cat and noticed her wide, shocked eyes. "Yeah, I didn't believe it at first, either," Jojo laughed. "As you can see, we don't look too much alike."

The villain tucked the photo back into the book. "But really," she said, "You should read that thing. I had no idea the old man kept a diary. We found it after he passed, and so I kept it. But you can borrow it for now, if you want."

Cat signed: "Thank you." But Jojo just looked at her confused. The little yellow puff, retrieved her trusty notepad and pen from her back pocket that she always kept handy and wrote the words down for Jojo to read.

"Oh," Jojo said, studying the note. "No problem, Kid." She paused. "How do I say that?"

Cat couldn't help but smile a little. It wasn't too often that someone showed interest in learning to sign. She lifted her two hands and held them out into two loose fists and shook them while shaking her head "no," signing "No problem." She then pointed at Jojo for her to try.

Jojo repeated what Cat did, and Cat smiled. She gave Jojo a thumbs up and Jojo smirked.

She watched Cat scribble quickly on her notepad and waited. The youngster held out another note: "Why are you so nice to me?"

Jojo laughed for a long time. "Ha… I don't really know how to answer that one, Cat. I always thought I was a pretty nice person, despite my reputation," Jojo grinned.

"You don't seem evil. Are you really a villain?" Cat said in her next note.

"Villain?-- Yes. Evil?-- Well, that one's up for debate."

Cat raised an eyebrow and stared at Jojo with a confused look.

"Well… a wise man once explained to me that there is more than one type of evil in the world. So, yeah, I'm evil. But not the kind of evil you're thinking about." Jojo paused a while, and then continued. "It was my dad that said it actually. Back when I was sure I didn't want to be a super hero no more, but being a villain was just all sorta out of revenge. It didn't really have no purpose behind it yet, or anything. I was just mad, you know? I was mad and so I just wanted people to pay.

But my dad… he explained it all to me. That there was more to being a villain than just destruction and anarchy. I'll never forget what he told me. He says to me:

'There is no such thing as _good _in this world! There are merely different kinds of evil!'" Jojo laughed a little at her own, poorly done imitation of Mojo's voice. She glanced at Cat and saw her smiling. She cleared her voice and continued: "So he says to me then:

'_They_ are the lame kinds who do not even realize their own wickedness. _We_ are the _superior _kinds of evil! Yes. The villains who harness the sin within us and use it to our greatest advantage! And just for using our God-given gifts and doing what is instinct to us, we are punished and labeled 'bad,' while those who give us that name, name themselves and their own so called ways of life as 'good.'"

Jojo frowned a little, and looked more serious then. "He taught me _right then _the purpose of being a villain."

Cat stared at Jojo with wide eyes. She felt completely entranced by what the villain was telling her. She spoke with so much passion, it was hard to not feel sympathetic towards her. Cat quickly wrote her next note: "What's the purpose of being a villain?"

Jojo smiled. "The purpose of being a villain is: the world needs to learn a lesson, and it is _us _who must teach it to them. That lesson being that _you _are not better than _me_. _You _have no right to tell _me _what to do. _Your _place in the world should not be higher than _mine_. If you don't like it, then get the hell out of my way."

"You see, Cat," Jojo continued. "We're merely wiping the slate clean. We're starting society over. The world has gotten just too rotten. Too many souls have been left out, and it's not fair, so we're starting anew. Have you ever felt left out, Cat?"

Cat nodded.

"See? And what the world now calls _justice _is merely the resistance to this idea. They think the world is just perfect as it is right now. So they're trying to stop us, and protect their perfect little world. I don't think it's perfect; not for _me _anyway. Not for too many people."

Cat reflected on these words for a while. She had never heard it put that way before. She stared at the little diary in her hands and remembered the photo of the young Jojo that rested inside its pages. She thought about how innocent Jojo looked in that picture, and thought to herself: "Jojo is actually not that bad a person. Maybe there _isn't _just one side of evil. She's actually really… nice."

Cat scribbled a new note: "Why did you decide to stop being a Powerpuff Girl?"

"Because like I said earlier: I just felt left out," Jojo answered right away. "See these?" Jojo pointed to the scars on her face and on her arms and hands. Cat nodded. "Your mom did this to me. Did she tell you about that?"

Cat's jaw dropped. She shook her head "no."

"It was during a robbery. Your mom was there with me when I got hit with this nasty stuff. I can't even begin to describe just how painful it was. Blossom left me behind to go after those damn robbers. I was burning alive on the floor and she just left me behind." Jojo shook her head. "She never even said she was sorry, but that's alright I suppose. I wouldn't have forgiven her anyway."

Cat didn't know what else to say. She stared at the scars Jojo possessed and compared them to her own. She closed her eyes and remembered the excruciating pain she felt when she got her own scars. How she prayed for death during her accident just so that it wouldn't hurt anymore. No one should experience that sort of pain. Her heart physically ached for Jojo as she thought about the pain she must of felt herself. She felt disgusted with her mother that she would do something like that to her own sister. But when she paused to think more about the lies her mother has told, she realized that something like this wasn't too inconceivable.

She felt this fiery hatred building inside her. It was like something she had never felt before. And that dark, fiery feeling was directed towards her own mother. "Mom.. How could _you?_" she thought. Her thoughts began to race, and a new question in her mind surfaced, one she had never thought of ever before: "All this time, I thought I was on the right side. I thought being a Powerpuff was a _good _thing… but now… what if it isn't?"

Jojo stood from where she sat on the bed. She stretched a little. "Look, Kid, I don't have no problem with you staying here for a little whiles. I know you ain't got no other place to go. Believe me, I know how that is. But this here place is a place for _villains_. So even though I ain't got no problem with it, the other villains of the movement _might_. You understand? Might start thinking you're a spy or something."

Cat started vigorously shaking her head "no."

"I know, I know you're not," Jojo said with a small laugh.

Cat bit her lip. Her mind still raced. She knew she couldn't go back home. Not for a while-- a long while. Maybe even _never_. They'd arrest her as soon as she set foot back in Neighborfield. If anything, her and her sisters had to move someplace else. Neighborfield was after her, so what other choice was there? They had to move, but where?

Cat looked up at Jojo and hesitated.

"What is it, Kiddo?" Jojo said with a tilt of her head. "I can tell you got something else to say, so just say it-- err, write it, I mean."

Cat quickly scribbled. She held the note in her hand for several seconds and stared at it for a while, rethinking what she had wrote. She pondered if this was the right move. She looked back up at Jojo and saw the villain with a concerned look on her face. Somehow, that look subsided the hesitation Cat felt.

"This person, is a good person," she thought to herself, "I know it. I can _feel _it. This is what I need to do. For now, anyway."

Cat stood from the bed and walked up to Jojo to delivered her message personally:

"Can I stay longer if I become a villain, too?"

Jojo smiled at the note and then down at the young Puff. "Kiddo, if that's the case, you can stay as long as you want."


	5. Chapter 5

**Villain: The Epilogue**

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_A/N: Wrote the last half of this chapter between back and forth hospital and ER visits with my girlfriend. This chapter is for her. Feel better soon, Mamasita._

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**Chapter 5**

Cherry awoke early the next morning. She had a hard time sleeping all night long, worrying about her sister. It was only five in the morning, but when she went downstairs to get a glass of water she discovered that her mother was already awake.

Blossom sat at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee. From the worn look on her face, it was evident that she hadn't gotten much sleep either.

"Good morning, Mom," Cherry greeted as she entered the room.

Blossom glanced over at Cherry as the red Puff stood beside her at the table. "Good morning, Dear," she sighed.

"Mom, it's going to be okay," Cherry tried. "You said you know where Cat is right? We just have to go and get her."

Blossom massaged her forehead. "It's not exactly that simple, Cherry." She looked to her daughter, who stared back at her with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't want to tell any of this to Candy, okay? She's so emotional, and she's already so worked up about the situation. I just wanted her to have some sort of hope by telling her I know where she is."

"So you don't know where she is?"

"No, no I _do_. I'm certain she's there. It's just… where she is, isn't the safest place."

"How do you know this, Mom?" Cherry asked as she sat down beside her mother at the table. "Look, I know you're hiding something, so just tell me. We saw Jojo's picture on the signs and Cat saw it on the news. She said that they were showing her photo next to this 'villain' girl and we figured it out that it was a younger Jojo. What does Cat have to do with her? Mom, what do _you _have to do with her?"

"You girls are too smart for me," Blossom laughed a little and shook her head. She looked at her daughter, and saw herself. She knew that if she was in her daughter's situation, she would not have much respect for herself. She hidden things for too long, and now suddenly, everything was spiraling out of control.

It was time to come clean. At least, as clean as she could get for the time being.

"I was created in a laboratory by Professor Utonium. You know this."

"Right, just like you created us."

"Right," Blossom nodded slowly. "It was me, and my sisters: Bubbles and Buttercup."

"Buttercup?"

"Yes," Blossom sighed deeply. She hadn't said the name aloud in a long time, but it was one she would never forget. They _were _sisters after all. "We fought crime together-- just like you and your sisters-- for _10 years_. For 10 years, we were unstoppable. But one day, Buttercup just… left."

"Where? _Why?_" Cherry waited. Her mom turned her face away from her. She was silent for a long time. "Mom? _Mom?_"

Blossom wiped the tears from her eyes before facing her daughter again. Her attempt at hiding her emotions was failed.

"What is it?" Cherry gaped. She rarely saw her mother this upset. "What happened to your sister?"

"Cherry, I fear the same thing may be happening to your sister that happened to my own."

"What?"

Blossom laughed a little. She didn't know why, it just escaped her. She took a long sip of her coffee and began:

"The night before she left us, I came home and my sister Bubbles was in her room crying. She said that our sister Buttercup had gotten mad at her and yelled at her. Poor Bubbles had bruises on her arms and everything. She would never tell me exactly what happened that night, but from how upset she was, I knew it was something serious.

I tried confronting Buttercup on my own, but my father wouldn't let me. I didn't get to speak to her much that night, but I watched her speaking with the Professor. She looked different. I don't know how to explain it, she just looked different. When she came inside, she was laughing. It was like she had snapped. She had always been a mean person when she lost her temper. And she had always lost her temper very quickly. Only this time, it was as if she had lost her temper and was mean, and… I don't know. I always eventually forgave her, because I thought her temper was something she had a difficult time controlling. But that night… she _was _in control. I could just see that she was. She was in control, and… mean. And she wasn't stopping.

The very next day, I was eating lunch at school when I heard a bunch of commotion. I looked over and saw a huge crowd of kids, and in the middle of it all was my sister Buttercup. I was used to her getting into trouble, but as I made my way over to her, I heard it…

She was laughing again. Just like the night before. I knew then that the laugh wasn't just unsettling to me, because everyone looked on with fear. I made my way through the crowd. 'Buttercup! What has gotten into you lately?!'

She didn't answer me. She just laughed some more and started kicking and throwing lunch trays left and right. I remember being in just… total shock. I stared in disbelief for a long time. I remember thinking: 'This is _not _my sister.'

I confronted her again. I tried taking a different approach. I thought maybe something serious was happening to her. Maybe she was having a mental breakdown? I tried to understand. I tried to sympathize with her. "Buttercup…" I said and she's still kicking trays and ignoring me.

'Buttercup!' I whispered loudly. 'Buttercup, stop this!' I pleaded. She finally gave me her attention, but that malicious grin of hers was still there. It sent a chill down my spine. 'Stop this right now!'

I felt like I was speaking to something I couldn't see. I wasn't speaking to my sister. I was talking to this invisible and evil force that had come over her. I was talking to some sort of demon that had yanked her out of her right state of mind.

'Oh, but Sister!' she laughs at me. 'I was just about to answer your question! Don't you want to hear my answer?!' The way she still smiled. It froze me in place-- I was in complete shock to see this sort of behavior.

'Oh and I have another question to answer too!' she announced. She looked over me at the crowd of our classmates. She made them jump with fear with that look in her eyes. And I could tell that she enjoyed it. 'What happened to Mitch Mitchelson?' she said, referring to the death of school mate of ours. He had mysteriously died the night before. 'Isn't that something you've all been wondering?' she continued, 'Yeah, I heard you all talking. About how Mitch was _so great _and Mitch was _so much fun… _Mitch Mitchelson was an idiot! He thought he could get away with being the leader of all your little tormenting ways day after day! He thought that there wouldn't be any consequences! Well, wouldn't ya know it?! There _are _consequences.'

I felt it before she even said it. I closed my eyes and held my breath, and braced myself for the worst. The words finally came, via a sharp and painful shock throughout my entire body. I felt it, and then she said it:

'Good old Mitch learned that last night. Oh _yes_. He learned his lesson, but sadly for him… it was a little too late. _I killed Mitch Mitchelson. _I beat him dead. I killed him. It was me."

As the pain of her statement still rang throughout my body, I opened my eyes again. Sure enough… this was happening. My sister Bubbles stared at me with pleading eyes. I knew she wanted me to say that it was all a dream. But it wasn't.

Everyone in the room was freaking out. I have no other way to describe it. It was complete chaos. My sister Buttercup had always been one to hide in the shadows. She was the quiet, odd girl. And now this quiet, odd girl was speaking her mind… and it was something no one saw coming.

But it couldn't be true. I wouldn't accept it. She was having a breakdown. She was seeking attention. She was lying to get attention. That had to be it.

My sister shot her laser eyes to bring the room to silence again. This caused me to snap out of my shocked state. I grabbed a hold of my sister and yelled at her, 'Stop this!' I was desperate.

'Stop what?' she asked with that laugh.

'You're acting crazy! Now stop it! Stop these lies!' I pleaded with her.

'Lies?' she says. '_Lies?_' And she laughs again.

'You have to be lying,' came a squeak from behind me. Bubbles approached our sister slowly. Tears streamed down her face, and she shook like everyone else in the room. 'You wouldn't kill someone, Buttercup…. _You couldn't_…. I _know _you would never do something horrible like that.'

'Oh, Bubbles,' Buttercup said and started to pet Bubbles' head. For a moment, I thought it was ending. Bubbles had a way with Buttercup, I never did. But then Buttercup says: 'Well that just goes to show you,' she continued, brushing her hand through her blonde hair, '…Just how much you don't know me!' Before I can react, she rips a large portion of Bubbles' hair right from her head and throws her to the ground.

It caught me _so _off guard. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't even think. I just stared at Buttercup.

'I'll say this!' she shouted. 'Mitch Mitchelson got what he deserved! And soon you'll all get a taste of what he got! That, I can promise you!'

And she laughed. Another chill ran down my spine. She laughed and then she left. It took me several moments to pull myself back to reality. My body felt heavy, and time ran slow. I helped Bubbles onto her feet. 'Come on,' I told her, and we rushed after our sister.

We chased her and yelled for her to stop repeatedly, but she ignored us for a good ten minutes.

"What?!" she finally turned around and screamed.

"Where do you think you are going?!" I yelled. I opened my mouth to try and ask her what all that back there was about, but I was interrupted by my cell phone.

It was the Mayor and there was an apartment building on fire. 'The building's going to collapse any moment now and there are still souls to save! Hurry!' the Mayor told me.

Worst timing ever, but as you know, when duty calls… duty calls. I promise the Mayor we'll be right there and turn to my sisters. 'Let's just put this behind us for now, and we'll discuss it later,' I said. I felt bad saying it. I felt guilty. But I had no choice. 'Right now we gotta go!'

'I ain't going nowhere,' Buttercup answered me with a nasty scowl.

'What? Why?' I said in return.

'You heard me,' she said.

'Buttercup… we have to go save all those people,' Bubbles said. 'They could get hurt… or worse….'

'I ain't saving no one!' she yelled. 'Not anymore! Now, you two can go on and _save the day_. Me? I won't have any part in that stuff anymore.'

I stared at her and she laughed some more.

'So what is it, _Miss Leader?_' she mocked me. 'That building must be about ready to give way any moment now. You gonna go save 'em? Hm? Be the hero? Be loved? Forget about your sister, yet again?'

It's the leader's job to make tough decisions. We're required to make them, no matter how unfair it looks on both sides. We don't always make the right ones, but we try. It's hard. The clock was ticking. People's lives were at stake. It was our job and duty to protect the citizens of Townsville. Any moment then, about a hundred souls could have been lost. And so I made the call.

'Come on, Bubbles….' I said without taking my eyes off my sister Buttercup, 'We've got work to do.'

And we left her behind.

I wouldn't see her again for three days… wreaking havoc and destruction along side one of our oldest and most evil enemies. His name was Mojo Jojo."

Blossom looked to her daughter. The young girl had tears in her eyes.

"So you think because your sister ran away to Mojo Jojo, Cat has done the same only to her?" the young girl asked quietly.

Blossom nodded. "I know it sounds crazy. Your sister… although she has her temper… it seems unlikely she would follow the same path. However, I never expected the same of my sister. Never in a million years.

It was like she slipped farther and farther away. I always think back to that day, just before she ran away. What if I had sacrificed the lives of the persons in that fire? What if I had put Buttercup first? Maybe I could have stopped this evil that transformed her so quickly.

Maybe Buttercup would still be here, and Jojo would not."

Cherry blinked at her mother. She tried to fit the pieces together as fast as possible; finally, it fell into place: "Jojo… is your sister?"

She could not answer aloud. It was too hard for Blossom. All she could do was nod her head and take another sip of her coffee. "Cherry, we must rescue your sister from her before it's too late. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mom."

* * *

"Jojo, I think you should see this."

"What?"

Princess sat up in bed and used the remote control in her hand to turn the volume up on the television across the room. Jojo adjusted her belt buckle as she finished getting dressed that morning, and rejoined her sweetheart on their bed. She looked to the television and saw a photograph of Cat on the news. There was also a photograph of that scrawny middle school teacher she had hurt. Both photos were on either side of a stern faced reporter.

"At 6:24 AM this morning, Drake Collins sadly passed on while under intensive care at Neighborfield Memorial Hospital. Exact details of his death have not been released at this time. However, witnesses say that even after being heavily sedated, Mr. Collins remained delirious, hysterical and inconsolable. Since the time of the accident, up till just before his death there were reported, quote: _endless screams of pain_, coming from his hospital bedroom. The exact cause of death, at this time, is unknown.

Again, if you are just tuning in, it was young Cat Utonium of Neighborfield who brutally attacked her middle school teacher yesterday afternoon. And now, at this hour, he is _dead_."

Jojo stared at the television set. She looked over to Princess who nodded her head. "It's all true," she said.

"But she said she just broke his fingers. How do broken fingers lead to death?" Jojo blinked.

Princess shrugged.

Jojo stared at the TV set again. She thought long and hard. "Something's missing here," she mumbled to herself. She bit her fingernails as she pushed her mind to focus. She couldn't figure it out, no matter how hard she tried. Finally after several minutes of pushing her brain power to its limit, she stood from the bed and made her way out the door.

"Oh, let the poor kid sleep in a little more, Joey!" Princess called after her, but she was already gone.

Jojo did not knock before she entered the room. Cat woke up with a jolt when the villain shouted: "Wake up! It's time for your training!"

Cat stared at her from where she sat up in the bed.

"Well, you said you wanted to be a villain, so it's time to start. Get up," Jojo said, and she turned to leave the room. "I expect you to be ready in five minutes."

When Jojo shut the door to the room behind her, she found a very irritated Princess standing there with her arms crossed. She was still in her nighties and she frowned. "That was totally unnecessary," she said turning her nose up, and continuing on her way.

"Unnecessary? You're the one always nagging at me to take over Florida already so you can own god damn Disneyland! You know, that might happen a little faster if this whole thing works out, _Princess_."

"It's Disney_world!_" Princess corrected from the other room.

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Cat found herself in a large, mostly empty room. There was some gym-looking equipment, but not a lot. She stood there, across from the villain Jojo, still not knowing too well what to think of the entire situation. Princess was there, too. She sat to the side, watching quietly.

"Show me what you did to your teacher the other day," Jojo said, crossing her arms.

Cat stared at her.

Jojo kneeled down to her level. "Just show me," she said holding out her hand. "Broke his fingers, right? How?"

Princess scooted to the edge of her seat. She had the same idea that Jojo had. Clearly, Cat did more than just break his fingers. The man was dead now. Whatever she did, was something strong and powerful-- something villain worthy. She normally would be getting her weekly pedicure that morning, but she cancelled to be with Jojo. After all, if something went wrong, she might be able to fix it. Princess just had a strange feeling that something was about to be discovered. Something big. Jojo insisted that she didn't need Princess's help, but what if it was more powerful than expected?

Cat raised an eyebrow at Jojo and stared at her extended hand.

"It's alright," Jojo reassured her. "Just do it, just like you had done it before."

Cat gulped and slowly took Jojo's hand and propped it up like her teacher had had it up the other day. She stared at the villain's hands and took a deep breath before reaching out and grabbing the hand in hers and squeezing it as tight as she could.

When she let go, it didn't seem to have too much of an effect on Jojo. Jojo glanced down at her hand and turned it round and around. It was a little sore, but nothing more. She wrinkled her eyebrow and looked at the little girl in front of her. "That's it?" she said.

Cat stayed quiet. The little girl was sweating nerves.

Jojo looked at the girl. "No," she shook her head, and stood up again. "That's not right, at all. You ain't doing it like you had done it," she shook her finger at the little girl. She realized that Cat was still scared of her in some way. The Powerpuff was nervous, too. Somehow she needed this young kid to express the anger that she had that day.

After all, that's how Jojo discovered her own power. She was angry, and she embraced it. She focused on it, and it just came out of her.

Cat had done that the other day… but somehow it was something that went unnoticed. Maybe it had not been in its full potential? Or maybe the girl was _so _angry she just didn't notice whatever had happened? However it happened, Jojo was sure that it happened.

She scratched her chin for a bit and plotted. Finally, she had an idea.

"You know, Cat. I'm not too sure you're cut out for this. Maybe you're not right to be a villain," Jojo said looking away from the girl and turning her back towards her.

Cat's eyes widened and she stared at the back of the villain. She vigorously shook her head, but Jojo could not see this.

"I know you said you were interested, but let's face it… you have no idea what being a villain involves. At least being a _true _villain, that is."

Cat began to move to a spot where Jojo could see her, but Jojo turned again, ignoring the young kid.

"And like I said," Jojo continued, "This place is for villains. So you're going to have to leave now. Sorry, Kiddo. I really wanted this to work out, but you just don't seem to fit in here. What can I say? You just don't have what it takes."

Cat glared at the villain. "You're not even going to give me a _chance_?" she thought to herself. She flew again to try and get in front of the villain. She had to try and tell _her _side. In order to do that, Jojo had to be able to _see _her, of course. But as soon as she got in front of the villain, she turned around again, and now began to head towards the door.

"You have to be strong, and powerful, quick and smart. And when I think about it, Kid, you ain't none of those things. Not to mention your disability. I guess it was the right decision on your mom's part to get you out of the business. It is _too _dangerous for you to be in battle. I can't risk that either, now that I think about it. Face it, Kiddo, this ain't the field for you. You don't belong-- hero _or _villain."

As the villain walked towards the door, the young Puff flew around her, trying to get her attention so she could get some sort of say in this decision, but the villain ignored her.

Cat could feel the desperation build up inside her. And then that desperation turned into frustration. And that frustration turned into anger. And that anger built up more and more, the more and more she was ignored by Jojo.

Cat threw herself in front of the door, blocking Jojo's exit. Jojo simply grabbed the kid by her arm and tossed her aside to the ground. "Excuse me," she said nastily, "but I have work to do."

Cat glared at her from where she sat on the floor. She felt her body shaking from what was inside her. She felt like she was going to explode. It was as if someone was stuffing her with fire, and there was just too much inside her now to all fit right. She shut her eyes tightly and listened to herself screaming loudly inside her own head.

She opened her eyes and focused on Jojo. She wanted to hurt her. _Badly_. To think, she was beginning to actually _like _the villain. But no. She was a good for nothing. Just like everyone else, she ignored Cat. And because she built her up just to be ignored, it drove Cat crazy.

"She won't even look at me," Cat said to herself in her mind. "She doesn't care. No one cares. Why would she act like she cares if she doesn't? She's a liar. Just like Mom. Just like everyone. _No one cares_. She won't look at me. She won't listen to me. She's ignoring me. _What makes her think I'm not worth listening to?!"_

She had it. She screamed at Jojo as loud as her invisible voice could scream and stabbed her little finger in the villain's direction : "_**YOU IDIOT!**_"

She did not expect her voice to be heard by anyone else but herself, but at that moment, just as Jojo reached towards the doorknob, she grasped her head by her ears and yelped loudly in pain.

She fell to the ground, crippled. She grasped onto her head so tightly, her fingernails dug into her scalp and skin. Jojo bit her tongue trying not to scream. Her mouth filled with the taste of blood as she bit down harder and harder, trying to bear the pain.

Her head filled with this piercing noise. Like a hundred voices combined into one, it screamed at her. She could feel her head fill up like a glass of water-- of what, she didn't know? Maybe the sound itself, or blood, or her own melting brain matter, or all three. Whatever it was, it filled up her head, which throbbed in an excruciating way.

To Jojo, the entire world around her shook violently in a massive earthquake. And she pried her eyes open to stare at the little girl that just glared at her, seemingly quiet, with just a finger pointed at her.

She strained to look, but when her eyes finally focused enough, she could see these faint, yellow waves radiating from that little Puff's finger. The tiny ripples traveled towards Jojo slowly, and they grew larger, the closer they got. They reached her and consumed her, and made everything scream and shake.

Jojo was both impressed, and terrified.

Princess rushed over to Jojo and grabbed the villain by her shoulders and shook her. From where she sat, all she had seen was Cat point at Jojo and suddenly, Jojo was on the ground, screaming in pain, and she had yet to stop. "Joey?! _Joey?! What the hell is the matter with you?!_"

Jojo could not hear anything above the yellow noise around her. She felt herself growing tired. She noticed her sight began to fade.

Princess stared at Jojo and saw that she began to grow pale. She looked over at Cat who still had her finger pointed at her lover. She got up and rushed over to the little girl and swatted her finger down. "Put that away, you little brat! What the hell are you doing to her?!"

As soon as Princess slapped her hand away, Cat lost her focus. She then realized that Jojo was on the ground in front of her, in a lot of pain. She had seen it all happened, but for some reason, she thought that it was only in her head… just like her voice had always been _only _in her head.

She looked at her hand and noticed that it glowed a slight yellowish color. She realized then that she had actually managed to hurt Jojo, and sat there staring in shock as Princess rushed over to her again.

Princess shook Jojo once more, who was still curled up in a little ball with her hands over her ears. "Jojo?! Goddammit, isn't it over?!"

But it wasn't. Jojo could tell that the attack was done. The screaming was gone; the waves around her were gone too. But everything still shook. There was a loud ringing in place of the screaming in her ears. And her head still felt full of noise, blood and melted brain matter-- ready to burst. She could hear Princess talking to her, but she could not respond. Her mind was too overwhelmed and she had forgotten how to formulate sentences. She couldn't see. Her already damaged sight was gone. Everything was a blurred mess of colors. She could see red and yellow in front of her, and knew it was Princess, but it took a while to connect, and even still she couldn't bring herself to react in anyway. It was like she was paralyzed.

Cat stared in horror. She heard the pain she poured into Jojo's head. She heard it, and felt it, too. Only it was like this muted feeling and sound. She knew it was supposed to be a thousand times louder and feel a thousand times stronger, but to her, it was like a distant thing. Obviously, whatever it was that came out of her, shot at Jojo with the full effect. She just didn't realize it at the time. The volume and intensity seemed to increase towards the end, but Princess had interrupted it before it had the chance to do anything to Cat herself.

Jojo shut her eyes tightly and shook her head vigorously. Slowly, it began to all fade. She sat up slowly. It felt like the world had been slowed down around her. At least it wasn't shaking anymore. Everything was heavy and it took her a while to do or think anything. Her head slowly began to clear and her sight was less of a blur. She looked over at Princess who sighed with relief when she saw that Jojo's color had returned in her face again.

The villain still grasped her head with one hand, as everything eventually became quiet around her. "Princess?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"You didn't hear that did you?"

"No…"

"Didn't think so," Jojo rubbed at her eyes, as her vision returned to normal. "Baby, go and get me a glass of water, would you?"

Princess nodded and rushed off. Jojo looked over at Cat who still sat on the ground across from her, with her jaw dropped. Jojo smiled a little. "Well, I guess you just proved me wrong, didn't ya?"

Cat stared at the villain, who climbed slowly to her feet. She walked over to Cat and kneeled down to her level again. She offered her a hand: "Welcome to the Villain's Movement, Kid."

Cat grinned, feeling proud of herself. She knew right then that she had just discovered her own special power. Her mom had told her that it was time to give up, and that it was okay. "You're really just a little more special for not having one, Cat," Blossom told her. What a lie. She must have known about this strength; how couldn't she? She had her own special power. She really did. And it was even greater than her sisters.

Cat's grin got a little bigger as she took Jojo's hand.

Jojo began to help the child to her feet, when suddenly there was a loud crash through the ceiling. She pulled Cat to her feet and looked.

Blossom, Cherry and Candy had arrived.


	6. Chapter 6

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: I apologize for the huge delay. Free time for writing has been scarce, and when I finally got some time back for writing, I focused on original works for a while and writing lyrics for my girlfriend's band (see my profile for a link to one of their awesome songs!). But those works are done now, so I hope to resume fan fiction once again. Hopefully the inspiration and motivation to continue updating will stick with me!_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Blossom, Cherry and Candy stared silently in shock as they watched the villain, Jojo, take Cat's hand and help her onto her feet. Cat did not notice her sisters and Blossom until she was standing again. She was grinning at Jojo and still so happy about just discovering her own very special super power. Then she glanced over her shoulder and her smiled vanished quickly. She physically jumped back a little at the sight of the three of them.

Jojo looked at Blossom, Cherry and Candy and smiled casually as if expecting the visit all along. "Hey, Sis!" She waved at Blossom, "Long time no see!"

Blossom still wore a shocked expression on her face. Yes, she expected to see Cat with Jojo… but smiling? Hand in hand? Just what did she walk into? It took a while before the surprise look melted into seriousness, as her ex-sister approached her. As Jojo came closer, Cherry and Candy retreated backwards by two steps.

"Well, I just have to say: You have the most _perfect _timing, Bloss," Jojo continued. "Our little Cat here just discovered her very own special power." The villain slung her arm over Blossom's shoulder as if they were old pals. "And I just have to say: It's pretty damn awesome."

Blossom flinched under Jojo's touch. She stepped to the side, pulling away from her. "You're lying. Cat has no special power."

Jojo laughed a little. "Oh, I know you wish that were true, Red. Because I know just how much you love to prove me wrong. But unfortunately for you, I ain't lying. Isn't that right, Cat?"

Everyone's eyes fell on Cat who still stood at the opposite end of the room by herself. She blinked at everyone silently for a while before slowly nodding. The little girl began to sweat from the tension felt in this extremely awkward situation.

"See!" Jojo exclaimed as soon as the little yellow Puff shook her head. "And! I would love to add: this power of hers is just _perfect _for her! Perfect for any villain really! Just absolutely… villain worthy!" She began to laugh maniacally just as a villain would.

"Cat is _not_ a villain," Cherry stepped in, placing her arms firmly on her hips and hovering up to Jojo's eyelevel.

Blossom held her breath in nervousness. "Cherry…" she warned quietly. "Cherry, remember what I told you, Sweetie…."

Jojo stopped laughing and smirked at the little red Puff. "Is that so?" she said. She looked the preteen in the eye and smirked slyly. Cherry swallowed hard, feeling uneasy being under the villain's stare.

Jojo glanced over her shoulder at Cat and then back to the brave leader, who still stood her ground. "Well," Jojo began again with a sigh. "I guess this isn't any of my business. I mean… it's probably Cat who should break the news to you herself. I mean, she's _your _sister and everything."

Cherry's eyes fell on Cat. She signed intentionally to her sister so that the conversation was private from the villain: "What does she mean?" Cherry signed with a sad and concerned face. She descended back to the ground.

Cat bit her lip nervously. She slowly flew over to her sister and stood in front of her and beside the villain. She looked up at Jojo who just smiled down at her. She then looked Cherry in the eyes and conveyed the deepest amount of sympathy that she could: "I'm sorry," she signed slowly, "…A lot happened."

Blossom saw the conversation happening and was the only other person in the room who could read the sign language. She felt her heart turn into a block of lead. As it sank, she mentally began to panic. "What are you talking about, Cat? What could have possibly happened? What have you done? Cat? What have you done? Answer me! Answer me this minute, Catherine Utonium! ANSWER ME! RIGHT NOW!" Blossom heard herself screaming and knew she probably came across as the bossy mother that Cat hated, but she could not help it. She needed answers and she need them instantly. She needed answers before her mind exploded from every horrible possibility and scenario that began playing in her brain.

Cat did not look at Blossom. She tried to ignore her. She wasn't talking to her. She was still angry with her so called mother. No, she was definitely not talking to her. She was talking to Cherry. She kept her head low, as she continued to sign: "I asked Jojo to teach me how to be a villain. I know it sounds crazy but… it's something that I need to do… or at least… try… for a little while. Please, don't be angry with me."

"Don't be angry with you? Don't be ANGRY? Cat how on Earth could you possibly-"

"Mom!" Cherry turned around and yelled at her mother. It came out almost involuntarily. Cherry was just as shocked to hear the tone escape her own lips as everyone else was in the room. "_Mom_," she began again more calmly, but still sternly, "Let me talk to her. Just… relax, OK? You're not helping."

Blossom gaped at her daughter. She felt enraged, shocked and above all else: gravely embarrassed that all this was happening in front of her worst enemy who was loving every little bit of this. The villain just stood there with her arms crossed and smiling to herself. She absolutely loved it.

Candy wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her tightly. The young girl hated seeing her family fighting, and this was the worst fight yet. "It's OK, Mom," she whispered softly. "Cherry's smart… let her talk to Cat. We'll bring her home just like we planned. Don't worry."

Blossom closed her eyes and tried to focus on Candy's hopeful voice. "_Please, be right_…" she thought to herself.

Cherry turned her attention back at Cat. "Cat look at me," she said. Cat slowly looked up at her sister. Cherry began to sign to her again: "I don't know what is going on, but you have to understand that this all sounds completely… insane. What are you doing, Cat? You can't be a villain. You just can't!"

"Why not?" Cat signed. "I'm not allowed to be a hero anymore according to Mom and even you! You said so yourself that I can't do it. What am I supposed to do? You guys don't believe in me. Jojo believes in me. She's already helped me discover my own special power. You guys could never do that. Remember? No matter how hard I tried, we could never figure it out. Mom, didn't even want me trying! Remember? Maybe I was never meant to be a hero… that's what Jojo said."

"You have to remember, Cat… Jojo is evil. You can't trust her as easily as you appear to be trusting her! "

"Says who? Mom? You've never even met Jojo or talked to her before!"

"Because she's evil!"

"Not any more evil than Mom!"

"Don't say that! That's not true!"

"It is! Mom's a different kind of evil who thinks she's better than everyone else! At least Jojo is a superior evil that realizes her own faults and is trying to make the world better for outcasts and monsters!"

"What are you even talking about, Cat?" Cherry signed. Her sister sounded brainwashed… just as Blossom warned her would happen under Jojo's care. All this insanity from just one day with the villain?

Cherry took a deep breath and tried a different approach. " Cat, if you were to become a villain… we would be enemies. Do you want that?"

Cat bit her lip. "I don't know," she signed.

Jojo stepped in, "Hey, Kids… Now I don't know very much sign language, but from what I can tell, there's a bit of a conflict here, am I right? Cat, if you need to go home with your sisters and think about it a bit more, that's OK," she began calmly, "My offer to train you as a villain will always stand."

A small smile swept Cat's face as she looked up at the villain. The expression made her family cringe.

"…Thank you," Cat signed.

Jojo smiled. "No problem," she answered in voice and sign language, remembering the phrase she learned from Cat the day before. Seeing the villain pick up on sign language made Cat grin big. It felt as if Jojo actually and really cared about Cat.

Cherry tried to push the sickening feeling that began to overwhelm her out of her mind. Cat seemed to already favor the villain. This was not good. "You don't know?" Cherry continued their conversation again via signing. "You don't know if you want to fight your own sisters in battle for the rest of your life?"

Cat's smile disappeared as she returned her attention to her sister. "I'm not thinking that far ahead, Cherry. I'm just thinking about right now. I'm just thinking about getting away from… her." Cat's eyes fell on Blossom shortly and then returned to Cherry. "She makes me so angry, Cherry. So angry, and I can't stand it anymore. I can't stand the lying and I can't stand the secrets and I can't stand _her_. I'm so angry, and I don't know what to do. I can't go back to her. I don't want to leave you and Candy, but… where else would I go? Every cop in Neighborfield is after me even if I wanted to go back," Cat paused. "I'll be fine. Jojo has been really nice. She isn't anything like Mom has said. She-"

"That's because you don't know her like I do, Sweetie!" Blossom could not help but interrupt. "You do not know what she's done! How many people she has tormented- how many people she has killed! Cat, as your mother, I forbid you from staying here! Why do you think you even have a choice in something like this? You cannot stay here! Absolutely no way! Have you completely lost it? We are going home! Cat, are you listening to me?"

Cat threw her hands over her ears. Her mother was driving her crazy. She couldn't even have a serious conversation about what was happening. She couldn't even explain what she was thinking without being interrupted and forced silent. She wasn't even talking to her! She was trying to explain things to her sister! Not her! And it wasn't like she could yell over her mother to shut up. Whenever Blossom started talking over her, she had no choice but to listen until she finally decided to shut up.

Cherry watched her sister cling to her ears in frustration. She didn't know what to do. She understood what Cat was trying to do. She really did. Blossom had this horrible effect on Cat for some reason. She literally drove her insane, and seemed to do so more now than ever. It wasn't a healthy environment for Cat. If it was only making her angrier, why would it be best for her to return home? It would only send Cat farther down this dark path. Cat needed to get away from Blossom… at least for the time being. Before things got really bad. Cherry knew this.

And if Cherry needed any more confirmation to this, she then noticed a soft yellow glow surrounding her sister Cat's palms and she grasped her ears tightly. Everyone else in the room was too preoccupied to notice this except for Cherry and Jojo. Cherry glanced up at Jojo whose grin temporarily faded at the sight of the yellow waves growing stronger and brighter around Cat's fists. Once Jojo recognized the glowing, an even wider grin swept her face.

Cherry quickly realized this had to be Cat's new special power. And if it was indeed "villain worthy" as Jojo called it, then it needed to stop now.

"You should stay here," Cherry said aloud.

Blossom stopped shouting and stared at her other daughter in disbelief. Candy also stared at Cherry with her jaw dropped. Cat's glow immediately shut off and the young girl slowly lowed her arms to her side, as she stared at Cherry in complete surprise.

Jojo's eyes widened, and then a bigger grin swept her face. She only understood a portion of the conversation (the portion that was said aloud) but she fully understood that. "Wow!" she clapped her hands together. "Just… wow!"

"Cherry what the heck are you doing?" Candy screamed. "Are you insane, too?"

Cherry gulped hard, but tried her best to remain brave and confident, looking her sister in the eye. She wasn't sure if she was making a huge mistake, but she did not know what else she could do at this very moment. "Do what you need to do, Cat. If you change your mind… you know where to find us, right?" she smiled weakly.

Cat smiled back at her. "Thanks," she signed.

Cherry nodded and turned back to her mom and other sister. "Let's go."

Blossom was still frozen in shock as her daughters began to carry her back to the whole in the ceiling where they had made their entrance. Suddenly, she snapped out of it. She fought against their grasp and managed to wiggle free from them. As soon as she jumped to the ground, she ran straight up to the villain without any hesitation.

Blossom reached out and smacked Jojo hard across the face with her right hand. Of course the slap did not hurt the super powered villain in the least bit, but the brave move certainly shocked her. She hadn't seen a move like that from her sister since… Well, she couldn't even remember.

She stared back at Blossom who glared at her meanly. The redhead gritted her teeth hard and breathed equally hard. Her eyes were on fire with madness. Blossom had completely forgotten that she was just a vulnerable human being, that could easily be killed at any moment by Jojo. She stood there, and challenged Jojo with her stare.

Candy, Cherry and Cat stared at the scene, unsure of what to do.

"Go home," Jojo said finally. "She's made her choice."

"_This isn't over, Buttercup_," Blossom growled through her teeth, challenging her further.

Jojo's eyes narrowed and her fists became brightly engulfed with green fire and electricity.

"_Go home, Red_," she repeated, also growling viciously.

Blossom did not flinch for the longest. She turned around and walked back to Candy and Cherry.

Jojo relaxed and her death ray shut off. "Well, Kiddo," Jojo began as she and Cat watched the three leave just as they came, "I gotta say: That sister of yours is one interesting character. I'll give her that."

* * *

"_What were you thinking, Cherry_?" Blossom shouted over the wind as her daughters carried her back towards Neighborfield. "_Why did you say something like that? Oh, _God_, we shouldn't have left! We should turn back_!"

"No, Mom!" Cherry returned. "We can't do anything right now! I know this is a huge risk, but what choice do we have? If we drag her back by force, she'll just be angrier with us and side more with the villain! We'll check on her later! If Jojo is as bad as you say, Mom, then we should trust Cat to eventually see it, too! Trust me: Everything will be OK!"

Blossom was quiet for a while. She was angry with her daughter Cherry for disobeying her wishes, but she also understood her daughter's logic once it was explained to her. However, Cherry clearly underestimated what was happening. She paused to think for a moment. "Girls!" she shouted to her daughters. "Girls turn left up here! We need to stop somewhere!"

Blossom needed to let her daughters know just how serious the situation was. She needed to show them something- something that she hadn't seen herself in nearly a decade.

* * *

Cat spent the rest of the day with Jojo, not doing much of anything villainous really. They ordered pizza and played video games together. Jojo kept asking Cat how to sign different words, and seemed to pick up on American Sign Language fairly quickly.

Cat was beginning to feel as if Jojo was becoming a true friend which she had lacked in her life for a very long time.

"So then Blossom still refused to tell you the truth even while the reporters chased after you guys?" Jojo laughed as the two of them played video games in Jojo's old room.

Cat nodded and also laughed silently with her.

"She's such a bitch!" Jojo laughed.

The conversation stopped for several minutes before Cat pressed pause on her controller to write down another question for Jojo: "Was she always so bossy?"

Jojo nodded. "Yup. Isn't your sister Cherry that way, too?"

Cat blinked for a while. She thought about it and supposed Cherry could be bossy at times, and when she was it was pretty bad… but it didn't seem as severe as her mom's bossy issues. She wrote down: "Not as much. But why do you ask?"

Jojo shrugged. "I dunno… it just seems like Cherry is just like old Blossom when she was that age."

Cat signed: "Really?"

"Yeah."

There was a knock at the door, followed by Princess entering the room.

"Oh, hi, Baby," Jojo smiled.

"Hi…" Princess responded sounding less than enthusiastic.

"Is something the matter?" Jojo asked.

Princess sighed deeply. "No…."

"You sure?" Jojo repeated.

Another deep sigh. "Yeah…."

"OK," Jojo shrugged her shoulders, indifferently. "Press 'play' Cat!"

The two continued on with their video games as Princess stood there unnoticed. She watched the two high-five each other as whatever they were playing erupted loudly. Princess pouted as she watched her lover continue to ignore her presence.

"Joey?" She began, but Jojo again did not notice. "…Joey? … Joey? …_Joey_?" She stomped her foot angrily.

"What?" her girlfriend finally responded.

Princess glared at Joey and then at Cat who just blinked back at her innocently. Princess crossed her arms and turned her nose upwards. "Just forget it!" she huffed as she exited the room, slamming the door behind her forcefully.

Cat pointed at the door and expressed a puzzled look.

"Yeah," Jojo shook her head, "I have no idea what that was about." Jojo switched off the gaming system and stood up. "So tomorrow is a busy day. I got a lot of work to do. I was wondering if you'd like to assist me a little. Interested, Kiddo?

Cat smiled and nodded.

"Good," Jojo grinned. "Then be sure to get plenty of rest. It's going to be a long and interesting day."


	7. Chapter 7

**Villain: The Epilogue**

**Chapter 7**

The very next day Cat was supposed to assist Jojo in her villain duties for the day. Cat didn't really know what that meant exactly. She felt a little uneasy about the situation, but a part of her was excited. She hadn't been an active hero since she was eleven. And to be totally honest, she really missed the adventure and the action.

When she awoke, it was much later than she had meant to sleep. She wasn't too comfortable with the idea of wandering City Hall on her own, so she decided to return to the bookshelf until someone came to get her out of the room. She pulled out the diary of Mojo Jojo's again. Jojo said that she should read it, and she was curious to get to know the man that Jojo was so heavily influenced by.

She turned to the first page and began to read:

"_The Powerpuff Girl, Buttercup, has been in my care for just three days now, and already the road seems clear that this young girl will one day become a great villain. It is very certain that this will happen, and I am very sure of it. I look at this teenager and see it as her fortune-destiny-fate. She possesses every quality, talent, skill, and ability needed to succeed as a villain. Most importantly, she has the desire, want, dream, and craving to be a villain. Yes, it is true that I have agreed to show her the ways of a true mastermind, all-powerful and mighty criminal. Upon adoption, she has also agreed to drop her identity as "Buttercup" and take my name as her own. The name "Buttercup" is no longer hers. Instead, she shall be called "Jojo."_

_Most importantly, I refuse to have a daughter, and so I shall refer to her as my son from this moment forth. For girls- for obvious reasons- drive me to absolute insanity."_

There was a knock on the door, before it slowly creaked open to reveal Jojo. Cat smiled at her and set the book down beside her.

"Hey," Jojo returned a smile, and stepped into the room. "Want some breakfast?"

Cat nodded and hopped off the bed to follow Jojo into the dining room. When they entered, Cat noticed Princess already sitting at the dining table, eating a small plate of poached eggs and strawberries. She seemed to refuse to look at Cat, even though the young girl took the chair opposite to her. Jojo took a seat at the head of the table.

Cat couldn't help but think it sort of funny that the three of them sat at such a grand and large table, that was obviously designed to seat thirty or more people. A chef immediately rushed over to the table and held up a small menu to Cat's face. Cat pointed to the French toast and the chef nervously hurried away.

"So, Cat, do you wanna hear the plans for the day?" Jojo asked as another server came and poured her glass full of orange juice and then repeated the same for Cat's. Cat felt a little in awe of Jojo's high status.

Cat nodded.

"Alright, well, we just finished the invasion and final take over of one city, so it's time to begin the intrusion of another," Jojo began. She took a sip of her orange juice, and continued: "You see, the United States government has been very active at trying to prevent further city takeovers, which isn't too surprising, of course. But _of course_, we always win," Jojo grinned. "Whenever we begin our first attacks on a city, we are almost immediately hit by the military. They send thousands of troops, tanks, fighter jets- the whole deal- to try and kill my men." Jojo paused as the chef reappeared with Cat's French toast and the same meal for Jojo.

"Ah, you like French toast, too, huh?" Jojo grinned.

Princess loudly scooted her chair backwards and abruptly stood up from the table. She patted at her lips with her napkin before throwing it back down on the table, and marching off angrily, without any word.

Jojo rolled her eyes slightly at her. "Anyways," she started again, "When I get the call that the military has arrived, that's when I step in, you see? Cons and thieves are only human. That military can take them out no problem even if they're equal in number. I have sacrificed men, believe me, but I don't foolishly do it, when I can easily show up and blast every military bastard out of there in three minutes or less. Once I clear out those troops, that leaves the city open and vulnerable for my men to come back and do what they do best.

"So you're job today, Cat, is to do just that: Clear the path. Don't worry, I'll be there to step in, if you're a little rusty from not seeing no action for a while. All you gotta do is scare them out of there. But, seeing how you just discovered your special power and all, I'm pretty sure that you must be eager to try it out some more, huh?"

Cat smiled weakly back at Jojo. True, she was very proud of herself for having her own power. True, she wanted to try it out again. However, she still felt as if she didn't fully understand it. She didn't even know what to call it, really. When she did it, she didn't even realize that it was happening. What if she could never replicate it? Would Jojo kick her out right then and there?

"Don't worry," Jojo smiled reassuringly, "You'll do just fine. I believe in you, Kiddo."

* * *

Blossom, Candy and Cherry spent the night in Blossom's old home, located in Townsville. Blossom felt like she wasn't ready to leave Cat behind. Not without her other daughters understanding how bad the situation was.

Her old home was still in tact, like nothing ever happened. The next day, she woke her children to take them with her to revisit a horrible memory.

Candy and Cherry found themselves in an old, blown up, abandoned building. An entire wall was missing, and there was rubble everywhere. The floor was littered with old candle holders and withered flowers and wreaths, as if a memorial had once existed long ago.

"Where are we?" Candy squeaked quietly, looking up at her mother.

Blossom was quiet, and her face was pale. This place brought back horrible memories that she had refused to relive again in her mind since it happened. "This was my high school before my sister destroyed every friend, teacher and mentor I had along with it."

"Jojo did this?" Cherry asked, looking around at the haunting scene. The building they were in specifically definitely used to be some sort of gymnasium. The basketball hoops no longer hung on the walls, but crashed and mangled on the floor, next to shattered pieces of what used to be a score board. The wall the was missing, was replaced with rubble and debris of old bleachers.

"Yes," Blossom answered. She took a deep breath, and began to retell the story to her daughters:

"Buttercup had only been gone for about a week. We already were aware of her intent to become a villain, and her new relationship with our enemy: Mojo Jojo. However, we were completely unaware of her other new- and apparently very close- relationship with another old enemy of ours.

"The villain was known as Princess. Truthfully, we had not had any conflict with this villain for several years. I thought she had finally grown up and realized the errors of her ways. However, I suppose that rarely happens in the case of Evil.

"We did not know that Buttercup was with her. We only saw Princess at first as she attacked the cafeteria. I should have thought it to be suspicious right then, since it was no where near any meal hour. The cafeteria only had a few school employees hiding in the kitchen at the time.

"The bratty teenager didn't put up much of a fight, but it wasn't long before we heard screaming coming from the gymnasium. You see, in case of a school attack, the evacuation plan was that if the cafeteria on the East side were to ever be attacked, then all students and faculty would be evacuated to the West side of campus… specifically the gym. _This _gym.

"We busted through the ceiling, landing several feet away from our sister. I held onto Princess by her collar, who fought to be released. 'Let her go!' Buttercup demanded, before I even recognized her. When I saw her, I was in total shock, and that shocked state must have caused my grip to loosen 'cause Princess immediately pulled free and ran over to stand beside Buttercup. 'You okay?' she asked Princess without her nasty glare off Bubbles and I.

'She hit me!' Princess exclaimed, pointing a finger at me. 'She hit me right on the face when I didn't do nothing to her yet!'

"Honestly, I didn't hear anything that was happening. I was focused on my sister's hands. They were engulfed in green fire and electricity. This was her death ray. Her special power she had discovered in her new venture to become a villain. One shot from that deadly ray, and Bubbles and I would be finished. It sucked the life from you, while replenishing her own health. It was truly… evil.

'Blossom,' Bubbles squeaked, 'Her hands….'

'I know,' I whispered back, my eyes still fixed on the growing fire and electricity.

'She swung a cheap shot!' Princess whined again. 'Aren't you going to do anything about it?' I had no idea why that brat was even there, and I didn't really care. Again, I was preoccupied by that green glow growing stronger and stronger.

'Is this true?' Buttercup asked.

"I remember my throat being dry and wondering how I would get out of this. How would I talk my sister out of this? I knew what she was up to. I could see it happening before it even started. 'B-Buttercup…' I began unsurely. 'What are you doing here? A-and what are you doing here with her?'

'Is Mojo Jojo here too?' Bubbles asked, too.

"I remember Buttercup just glaring. She was focused and so full of hate. 'I said,' she began again, 'Did you throw a cheap shot at my girlfriend?'

"To hear my sister call the stubborn brat her girlfriend was a surprise. I had always known my sister to be a lesbian. It was just sort of was an unspoken thing in the family. However, to be adopted by one villain and then dating another in about a week's time… it was absolute madness. I just stared at my sister, trying to desperately plan something-anything- to prevent what was about to happen. My mind raced madly. I could see it happening. I knew what she came for….

'Princess?' Buttercup called.

'Yes?' she answered.

'Stand behind me, Baby.'

"Princess hurried behind my green-eyed sister and she held out both my fists towards the bleachers of students. I blinked at that moment and when I opened my eyes again, my ears were flooded with a thousand screams. Buttercup's hands erupted with their deadly power.

"I began to fly at the crowd of students and teachers, but Bubbles held me back. I screamed as they screamed. I remember my heart shattering the moment I saw all their faces in that sick green glow. I screamed and kicked and fought to get to them, but Bubbles held strong. After all, there was nothing I could do.

"I failed to formulate a plan in time. And now it was too late.

"I remember Buttercup and her new girlfriend laughing maniacally throughout the whole scene. It sent chills down my back, and drove me mad at the same time.

"She stopped the death ray after about five minutes of destruction. When she was done, there wasn't a live person left in the building besides she, Princess, Bubbles and I.

"Buttercup turned and faced us, smiling a proud grin. For once, Bubbles was in so much shock she did not immediately burst into tears. I was also speechless as I stared at a thousand dead bodies- most of them my very dear friends. My body shook and I didn't even realize it at first. I was about to explode. At any moment I would erupt with a combination of fear, shock, and anger. Bubbles finally began to start crying.

'Buttercup…' I just stared at the hundreds of bodies, my eyes glistening with tears. 'How could you…?'

'I take it, you ain't going to fight me today either?' she said crossing her arms. She was referring to a couple days before when she wreaked havoc on the city and demanded a fight with Bubbles and I, but we ran. It was her villainous debut.

'You're gonna have to learn to fight sooner or later, Girls. Get over this whole 'sister' thing. I did,' she said, rolling her eyes. She then took Princess by her hand, and began to walk towards the exit.

"I wanted to say something to stop her. I couldn't just let her walk away from all this, like nothing really happened. But the words… they were gone.

'Buttercup!' Bubbles shouted. She looked at our sister, tears streaming down her face. Her body was shaking. 'You did a bad thing,' she frowned.

"Only Bubbles would phrase the most horrific thing we ever saw so… simply.

'Yeah, I guess I did,' Buttercup said with a shrug.

"Bubbles shook her head. 'But you're not a bad person. I know you're not.' She tried to smile, but just couldn't manage it. 'You can still come home. We'll still take care of you, Buttercup. We'll make sure that-'

'No,' I interrupted. I had to. At that moment, I felt beyond betrayed. We had spent an entire week exhausting ourselves with possibilities of how to rescue Buttercup from Mojo's villainous brainwashing.

"However this… this was not Mojo's doing. A school rampage? This did not sound like the monkey mastermind I knew. He would never plan something so childish and amateur- as tragic and horrible as it was. I knew then, that Buttercup thought of this on her own. This was her. It screamed her.

"It was all _her_.

"I could not look at Buttercup, but I continued as best as I could: 'Bubbles, she can't come back home. Ever.' I clenched my fists and shook with anger. Finally I brought my eyes to Buttercup. I glared at her meanly… as meanly as I could manage so that she knew that I was serious when I said it: 'You're evil!' I shouted. The tears finally began to escape my eyes. 'You're horrible! Get out of here! JUST GET OUT!'

"She paused for a moment, and I thought for a second: Maybe she realized what she's just done? Maybe she realized how far she's gone?

"But no.

"She just smiled, and said 'OK,' and left. And it was as simple as that…."

Cherry and Candy were silent for several moments after they heard the story. "I'm sorry, Mom," Cherry finally said softly. Candy threw her arms around Blossom in a tight hug and cried quietly.

"This is the Jojo we're dealing with, Girls," Blossom said petting Candy's hair. "This villain believes what she believes and believes her actions to be totally justifiable. She is simply insane. And she will teach these things to your sister, Cat. You heard it for yourself… it's already begun. We have to get her out of there, Girls. We have to prevent this."

"OK, Mom," Candy replied.

"Cherry?" Blossom turned to the redhead.

Cherry simply nodded. She was torn. She believed her mother, but she also felt that her mom failed to recognize Cat for who she was, and instead seemed to automatically file her into the same category as Jojo without any hesitation. To Cherry, Cat was different than Jojo. They just had to be. Why was Blossom so convinced that history was about to repeat itself, but with Cat in Jojo's place? Something was missing, and she could not put her finger on it.

However, she guessed whatever her mother knew was probably more than she and Candy did. Perhaps she knew best. Perhaps, she was right.

"OK, Mom," Cherry finally said. "It's going to be difficult. It's definitely more than a fragile situation. But, we'll get her out of there. Somehow. I promise."

Blossom smiled in relief. "Let's go home, Girls. We need to start planning on what to do."

The two Powerpuffs took their mother by her hand and they began to fly back towards Neighborfield. As they traveled through the air, Cherry caught sight of military tanks in the distance.

"What's that?" Candy asked, seeing them, too.

"It must be a battle," Blossom answered. "Jojo must be beginning a new invasion into a new city, and they're trying to stop her."

"This is ridiculous!" Cherry shouted over the wind. "Will she not stop?"

"No, she won't," Blossom answered. "Not until she's taken over the world or is forced to stop."

"Why haven't you let us stop her, Mom?" Candy asked. "We're the Powerpuff Girls. We are supposed to stop bad guys from doing bad things! And this is definitely bad!"

"She's too powerful for you girls. I planned on telling you about the war in time. I planned on letting you defeat her for good. As you grow, so do your abilities and strength. But, you are still too young, and don't have enough power to defeat her. You'd stand no chance!"

As they flew past the military, they noticed approaching light in the sky. There were two streaks: one green and one yellow. "Cat!" Candy shouted as she saw her sister approaching the army.

Cherry stared at her yellow-eyed sister who flew side by side with the villain. "This has to stop!" She looked down at her mother. "Candy, take Mom home," she said releasing Blossom's hand and shooting off towards the two in the distance.

"Cherry, don't!" Candy shouted after her. She looked down at her mother, "Mom, what do we do?"

Blossom shook her head. "I don't know, Candy…."

* * *

"Alright, Kid," Jojo began as they flew towards the battle. "Just focus all that negative energy inside you, and unleash that sound blast of yours. It should take care of our friends here no problem."

Cat nodded. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt… excited.

Just as they neared the large armored tanks and troops, there was a flash of red light in front of them, and Cherry stood there in the air with her hands firmly on her hips.

Cat immediately stopped in her tracks, just inches from her sister. Jojo stopped behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Cat signed with a shocked look on her face.

"I'm here to stop _her_," Cherry said bravely, nodding her head in the direction of Jojo.

Jojo laughed a little. "Me?"

"Yes. You," Cherry replied. Cherry began to fly up to Jojo, but Cat grabbed her hand so that the attention was on her again.

"What?" Cherry asked. "Cat, she is a villain, and I am a hero. Heroes stop villains." She returned her attention to Jojo, and began to stand as if readying herself for battle.

Cat blinked back at her, unsure of what to do or say.

Jojo laughed again. "Well, Kid, I'm just hear to see things along. This ain't my mission," she grinned. "It's Cat's."

Cherry's eyes widened and she turned around to look at Cat, who stood there nervously.

"So if you want to pick a fight with anyone, it would be her," Jojo said with a sly smirk. "Go on, Kiddo," she said to Cat, "Show her what you got!"

The two siblings stood there in the air, staring at each other for some time. They each did not know what to do. Neither of them wanted to fight each other. Sure, Cat was OK with the idea of blowing some tanks up. It sounded like it could be fun. But fighting Cherry? She wasn't ready for this… not the least bit ready.

But if she didn't fight Cherry… what would Jojo think? The villain would be so disappointed in her. She would probably not believe in her anymore or her ability to be anything.

She'd be that weak, helpless mute girl again.

Cat prepared herself. Her body stiffened as she clenched her fists tightly and wore a serious expression.

Cherry was surprised by the challenge. She hesitantly prepared herself as well.

Cat's eyes softened. She couldn't do it. She bit her lip nervously and thought for a moment. "…Let's fake it," she signed to Cherry.

Cherry smiled a little, but quickly shook it off before Jojo could see it. She simply nodded.

The two siblings wore serious looks again. Those looks were only an act, but Jojo believed them. Cherry darted off into the distance in a quick flash of red light. Cat followed after her, and so their staged battle began.

Cat caught up to Cherry in flight, and purposely shot her laser beams two inches too low, so that Cherry could dodge them.

Cherry dodged the fake attack easily. She charged at Cat and appeared to serve a swift punch to her sibling's face. However the force was hardly powerful, though Cat did a very convincing job at pretending that it was enough to send her flying backwards through the air.

The two continued on like that for several minutes. It was a good thing that they had flown so far away from Jojo's sight. The villain could still see them in the distance, but was not close enough to notice the obviously weakened attacks.

Cherry used her special power- her wind blasts- to create a small tornado to carry Cat backwards by several yards.

As Cat flew backwards, she heard shouting from below. She quickly stopped herself and turned around. The two girls had managed to gradually move their battle closer and closer to the military below.

"Ready…. Fire!" shouted the general from below.

Cat's eyes widened as a thousand missiles flew directly at her. She only had time to throw up her hands as a shield, as the powerful blasts sent her flying backwards, engulfed in flame.

Cherry screamed after her sister, "Cat!" She did not mean to do this at all. She wasn't paying enough attention.

As Cat shot backwards, her skin burned underneath the intense heat of the explosion. She silently screamed in pain. Finally, she was able to stop herself, and the heat began to cool. It was like an instinct to her. Without thinking, she charged back at the army.

The tanks fired again. This time, Cat stopped her charge, and stood firmly in the air, watching the missiles come straight at her.

She clenched her fists tightly, and felt them heat up with their yellow glow. She crossed her arms into an "X" in front of her, and closed her eyes. She focused all her negative energy, just as Jojo had advised her to do. She focused hard. It hurt her head, she focused so hard. Her mind throbbed underneath the pressure of the growing loudness inside her head.

When she opened her eyes, the missiles were six feet from her face. Her mind screamed at her then… ready to explode. She could see a bright yellow ball of energy concentrated in the middle of her crossed arms. It hovered dead center in the middle of her "X" and as it hovered, it radiated low, deep, bass-like _booms_.

Cat gritted her teeth, and shouted in her mind: "_**TAKE THAT**_!"

She uncrossed her arms, throwing them down hard to her sides, and the ball of yellow energy exploded into a loud sound wave that swept forward.

As the sound waves traveled, they hit the missiles first and they exploded upon impact of the invisible yellow wall. The sound wave continued, and hit another line of missiles and they, too, exploded before the wave continued farther. The wave reached the army, just as the tanks began to shoot off another round of bombs.

As the invisible wave hit those missiles just escaping the tanks, they caused a chain reaction of explosions. Row by row, each tank detonated into huge fiery explosions.

The amount of blasts, made the sky turn red with fire.

To everyone who stood in the path of the sound blast, they could hear Cat's deafening cry, backed by a throbbing booming bass. But to Cherry, who stood to the side, watching the demolition helplessly, she heard nothing. She only saw destruction and death.

As Cat watched everything burn, she could not help but smile at the sight. All that from her?- She never experienced so much power. She was proud of herself. She grinned big, and could not help it.

"Cat!" Cherry screamed at her.

Cat's smiled immediately left her face.

Cherry's eyes began to fill with tears, as she stared at her sister whose body was just a shadow against the bright, red and blazing background. "What have you done?" she screamed at the shadow. "Cat, what did you do?"

Cat stared back at her sister, shocked by her reaction.

"They're dead!" Cherry screamed.

"Oh…" Cat thought to herself. She looked down at the fire, and saw the destruction for the first time. She didn't see it as that at first… she saw it as her very own new special power that she loved. But now that she took a second look, she could see the people burning. She could hear them screaming in agony as they all perished. She could see them dying.

And to be honest… she didn't know what to think about all that.

Cat began to approach her sister, feeling sympathetic towards her screaming. It hurt her to hear it. "Cherry-" she began to sign.

"No!" Cherry screamed back, interrupting her. "What happened to it being fake, huh? This isn't fake, Cat! This is real! This is bad!" She stopped, taking a moment to finally breathe. She inhaled the thick black smoke that now began to fill the air. She could smell burning flesh, and it sickened her.

The Cat she knew would never do this. What just happened? How could this ever happen?

"No, Cat," Cherry said again, "I guess I really don't know who you are, do I?" Cherry could feel herself about to explode into tears and distress. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Before she could erupt, she tore herself away from the horrific scene and flew fast away from Cat.

Cat watched her sister fly away fast, disappearing within a few seconds from her sight. As she watched her sister vanish, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Jojo, who smiled: "Good job, Kiddo."

* * *

Princess sat at her vanity mirror, brushing her hair when she finally heard Jojo enter the bedroom. It was late. Too late. Princess set her brush down, and looked at Jojo through the mirror, who just smiled back at her. "Where have you been?" Princess asked, with an annoyed tone of voice.

"You know where," Jojo laughed a little.

Princess crossed her arms and pursed her lips into a pout.

"Oh, you're going to make me say it, huh?" Jojo smirked. She walked over to Princess and held out her hand. Princess stared at the hand, not wanting to take it. She was trying to prove a point, after all.

"Oh, come on," Jojo persuaded, keeping her hand extended in her direction. Princess reluctantly took her hand and Jojo helped her onto her feet. She pulled Princess close and held her in a Waltz-like stance. "I was out, on our mission, of course," she finally answered.

"With who?"

"You know who."

Princess pouted again.

Jojo smiled, "You don't want to hear her name so why make me say it out loud? It only makes you angry, right?"

Princess said nothing. She just continued to pout, as she danced stubbornly with Jojo.

Jojo sighed. "Alright," she said, "With Cat. Happy?"

"No," Princess said with her nose upturned.

"Why do you have to be so jealous, Princess?" she twirled the short girl in her arms and brought her closer. "She's just a kid," Jojo smiled. She looked Princess in the eyes. "No one will ever replace you, Sweetie. No one."

Princess pulled away a little, and stopped dancing. She looked Jojo in the eyes. "You promise?"

"Replace someone as pretty and deadly as you?" Jojo grinned, and Princess could not help but smile. "Never," Jojo said with a loving smile. "And yes, I _promise_."

* * *

Cat could not fall asleep that night. She had the sight of her sister's horrified gaze stuck in her head. The look made her feel sick. Cherry looked at her as if she was a monster. She wasn't a monster. …Was she?

Cat could hear Jojo laughing and talking with Princess across the hall in their room. She figured this would be a good time to leave. She had to see Cherry. She had to try to explain herself.

She had to prove to her sister that she was still the same Cat she knew.

Cat crept out through her bedroom window and began to make her way quickly to Neighborfield.

When she arrived at her old home, she flew straight into Cherry's room. The red Puff was already in bed with the lights shut off. Cat slowly approached her bed. She gently placed her hand on Cherry's shoulder.

At the slight touch, Cherry awoke immediately. "Cat?" she sat up.

Cat brought her finger to her lips, signaling for Cherry to remain quiet. "I'm sorry," she signed to her sister. "I'm sorry I made you angry."

Cherry frowned. "I'm not angry, Cat," Cherry signed in return, "I'm… disappointed."

"I didn't mean it," Cat said. It was half-truth. "It just… happened."

Cherry frowned again. "I know you didn't, Cat," she signed. "I know." She stared at her yellow-eyed sister, who sat beside her on her bed with a sad expression. Cherry threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. She couldn't help it. "What are we going to do, Cat?" she whispered softly.

Cat slowly pulled away from Cherry's grasp. She tried to smile, but could barely manage. "I think I have an idea," Cat signed.

"Really? What is it?"

"Well," Cat began, "Jojo really likes me. I know she will protect me from all those cops that are after me... and the towns' people, too. And I know she will let me stay with her, just so long as I continue to try to become a villain like her." She paused, seeing Cherry's expression grow concerned. She held out her hands: "Now, wait! I won't be one! OK? I understand… we can't be sisters anymore if I choose that. And I don't want that, OK? I don't want to lose you."

"Really?"

"Yes," Cat smiled a little. Cherry threw her arms around her again in another tight hug. Cat pulled away again, and again pressed her finger to her lips. "I'll only pretend to want to be a villain, so that I can still live with Jojo. And when we all get older, and become much stronger… I'll leave. You can defeat Jojo then. Then we'll all be sisters again. We won't have to fight… not even crime. Because it will all be over when she's gone." Cat's smile disappeared. She felt guilty about using the villain like that. She really liked Jojo. But… she also loved her sisters. This was the only solution she could see at this moment.

"Cat," Cherry signed with a big grin, "That is genius!"

Cat smiled again.

"So," Cherry began, "Every fight we fight from now on, will be fake?"

"Yes," Cat nodded. "But… I have to win, OK?"

"Why?"

"Because, I don't want Jojo to think I'm bad at being a villain. If she kicks me out… our plan is over." Cat paused… "I'm sorry, but… that means any military guys need to go…."

Cherry frowned. That was killing. And she could never condone killing. She thought for a moment, "No…"

"I have no choice, Cherry."

"Maybe… I can tell the militaries to not send people somehow… I'm sure there's got to be a way to electronically program tanks to attack on their own without actual people inside. And if not, I'm sure Mom would be glad to help engineer something like that!"

Cat smiled: "Good idea."

Cherry smiled. "Then it's decided!" she signed. She held out her pinky and Cat smiled and took it in hers. "Catherine Utonium?"

Cat laughed silently and then nodded.

"Do you pinky swear to keep your promise to only pretend to be a villain until we are old enough to carry out our plan to defeat the evil Jojo of Townsville?"

Cat nodded.

"Good!" Cherry smiled, as their pinkies shook.

The two girls embraced each other in one final hug, before it was time for Cat to leave.

"Tell Candy I said not to cry."

Cherry laughed a little. "OK."

Cat paused as she stood at her sister's window. She looked back at Cherry and smiled weakly. She gave a thumbs up, and Cherry smiled back at her.

That would be the last time the girls saw each other outside of battle for nearly three more years.


	8. Chapter 8

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks again for reading and for those reviews! Just wanted to mention that I have uploaded the song mentioned in this chapter on my ffnet profile. I also have the Epilogue playlist on it. And don't forget to check out my girlfriend's band on Facebook! :) Anyways, I'm excited about the next chapter which will include much more action and epicness, so it may take slightly longer to update, since I like to write battle scenes just right. It shouldn't be as lengthy as this chapter though lol. However my goal is a weekly update for this story till it's done. Wish me luck! -Bobby_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Do you _have _to wear your headphones during breakfast? _Honestly_, Cat…" Princess glared at the teenager who sat opposite from her at the dining table.

It had been over three years now since Cat Utonium, former Powerpuff Girl, began living in Townsville City Hall with Jojo and Princess. She was now sixteen. The three of them had become quite the dysfunctional little family.

Cat rolled her eyes at the redheaded villain, and simply turned up the volume on her iPod, ignoring the question completely.

Princess's eyes narrowed. "Brat," she called the youngster, using her telepathic powers so that only Cat could hear.

"Bitch," Cat responded in her mind.

Jojo entered the dining room, and took her seat at the head of the table. "Good morning," she smiled at the two. Her smile faded when she noticed them both in a deep glaring contest.

"Hey, can we have a nice, peaceful breakfast for once?" Jojo shook her head, placing her napkin on her lap.

"Sorry," Cat signed.

Princess said nothing, but at least ceased her angry stare for several minutes. She fixed her own napkin on her lap as the Hall's chef began to sit their breakfast plates down in front of them.

"Did you have fun yesterday?" Princess asked Cat via their mind communication.

"Yep," Cat answered simply, recognizing the sarcasm in her voice. Princess was referring to Cat's birthday present from Jojo. It was her sixteenth birthday the day before and Jojo used her ruling status over Anaheim, to shut down Disneyland for a day. It was only Cat and Jojo in the entire park. They had a great time, and it was definitely the best birthday Cat could ever remember. It was especially fun, because Princess, for once, was not invited.

"You don't deserve that much attention," Princess said telepathically. She sipped her orange juice and wore an innocent face, so that Jojo was not aware of their mind conversation. "You're nothing but a dirty traitor. Don't forget I know your little secret. I can read your thoughts. You still plan to go through with it. You're still planning to turn on Jojo, you little brat."

"Go ahead," Cat, too, appeared cool and collected as she began to eat her scrambled eggs. "Try and tell Jojo again, why don't you? She'll just tell you that you are being a jealous child again for the millionth time. Give it up, Princess. She believes and trusts me. Not you."

"You sneaky little rat!"

Cat raised her hand and casually flipped Princess off: "Fuck off."

Princess had enough. She stood from the table abruptly: "That's it!" she screamed. "I can't take it anymore!" She turned to Jojo. "She's lying to you! She's planning to turn you in one day! I know it! I just know it! Why won't you ever believe me?"

Jojo stayed in her seat, and blinked up at Princess. She finished chewing her food first. "Princess… is this about Disneyland?" Jojo assumed Princess was just throwing another jealous fit. This wasn't the first time Princess claimed that Cat would betray Jojo. She never believed her. After all, she knew Princess hated Cat. Everyone knew this.

Cat could not help but smirk at Princess's disgusted reaction. The spoiled villain screamed at the top of her lungs in frustration, and stomped out of the room, cursing Cat's name.

Jojo sighed from where she sat at the table. She lowered her head and began to massage her temple. It seemed like the conflict between the two only worsened as Cat got older. She looked at Cat and noticed the teenager's devious smile. "Hey," she said aloud. As soon as Cat looked at her, Jojo signed to Cat: "Not cool." The villain had successfully mastered American Sign Language over the past three years.

"She started it," Cat signed in return. "She _always _starts it."

Jojo frowned. "Just _try _to be nice. Be civil. Please?" she signed.

Cat frowned, too. "Sorry," she signed. She liked and admired Jojo. Even though she knew she was supposed to, she looked up to the villain. It made her feel guilty to see a disappointed look in Jojo's eyes. She felt sick, and pushed her plate away from her.

"What's wrong?" Jojo asked.

"Not hungry," Cat signed. It was a lie. She hated thinking about the plan she and her sisters made three years ago. She hated thinking about having to one day betray Jojo. She really liked the villain. She really didn't understand why Neighborfield couldn't just get over themselves. Jojo was changing the world, sure, but Cat truly believed now that it was for the better. The only reason why Cat still intended to go through with the big plan to defeat Jojo was because… well, she promised. She missed her sisters… if only they saw what she saw in Jojo. Thinking about the plan made her sick. Why did Princess have to bring it up? If she was truly a mind reader, then she would read that Cat felt horrible about what she would one day have to do.

Jojo stood up from the table. "Well, if you'd excuse me, I have to go talk to Princess, alright? And try to repair the damage you've done yet again," she said with a small laugh.

Cat smiled weakly. "Sorry," she signed again.

"Don't worry about it," Jojo signed. "See you outside in thirty for defense training, alright Kiddo?"

Cat nodded.

* * *

Princess sat at her vanity, trying to relax. That kid made her blood boil. How dare she use Jojo all these years, only planning to betray her one day. "She believed the kid over you again, didn't she?" her own voice taunted her.

Princess looked up at her reflection, and caught her mirror-image smiling evilly back at her.

Princess sighed: "Oh, not _you _again," she rolled her eyes. "I don't need your help on this, so just _go _already."

"Are you absolutely sure about that, hmm?"

Princess frowned at her reflection. "Yes," she said in a less convincing way.

"Who are you talking to?" Jojo asked, entering the bedroom.

Princess jumped at the sound of Jojo's voice. Her reflection returned to normal instantly. "Myself," Princess answered nervously, picking up her hair brush and beginning to comb through her hair.

"About what?" Jojo said laughing a little.

"Shoes," Princess answered simply and matter-of-factly.

"Ah," Jojo said, "Of course."

* * *

"It's about time," Cherry's boyfriend, Stephen, teased as he stood outside the coffee shop, waiting for Cherry who rushed over to him.

"Sorry!" Cherry said, out of breath. "Duty called! Last minute of course," she said giving him a peck on the cheek, before taking his hand and walking into the café together.

"I was beginning to think you had stood me up," the tall, blonde-haired boy laughed. Stephen was Cherry's boyfriend for about eleven months now. He was a handsome kid, but a nerd at heart. He went to the same school as Cherry, and a junior just like her. He had blue eyes, a sweet smile, a big heart and big brain- perfectly Cherry's type.

Cherry rolled her eyes. "After being with you for nearly a year?" she smiled. "Sweetie, I think I know by now whether or not I'd like to date you."

They stood in line to order their coffee. Cherry was sixteen now. Life was as busy as it gets. Full-time student, full-time super hero, full-time girlfriend. But it was nothing that the ambitious girl could not handle. As they stood in line, Cherry's eyes fell on the newspaper rack to their left.

The Neighborfield Reporter had a picture of herself and Candy as the main image with the headline: Happy Birthday, Powerpuffs!

Stephen noticed the paper, too, and picked it up. "Happy Birthday, Powerpuffs…" he began to read, with a smile. "How many gifts did you and Candy get yesterday total, anyways?"

"We're still counting," Cherry smiled.

Stephen laughed. "You're joking?"

Cherry shook her head.

"Spoiled," Stephen smirked.

The redhead slapped at her boyfriend playfully. "Hey, I didn't _ask _for all those gifts!"

"Said the spoiled celebrity," Stephen still teased.

After they ordered their coffee, they took a seat at a small table inside the café. Stephen opened the newspaper, and flipped to the page where the story continued. As he turned the page, Cherry noticed the next article was about Cat.

It had a photograph of her yellow-eyed sister, taken recently. She hadn't seen her sister for almost two years now. She hadn't spoken with her for three. After they made their pact to defeat Jojo in the future, the government and Blossom had advised the girls to avoid her, in case Jojo ever noticed that their battles were fake. They had a few brief moments where they crossed paths- the last one being two years ago- but Cherry and Candy always followed their orders to retreat whenever Cat arrived to a battle.

Cherry took the paper from Stephen and studied the photograph. It was obviously taken from a far- a still shot from a battle. Cat stood strong in the air. If the caption didn't tell her so, she wouldn't have recognized it to be her own sister. Her curly hair was still short, and styled similarly to how she used to. But her eyes were dark and sinister, even though she seemed to just be standing there casually. She wore the same uniform as Jojo, except that hers was yellow instead of green. She also sported a pair of bulky headphones, resting around her neck. Cherry noticed that the scar on her face and neck was more defined and dark now. She was no longer short and chubby. She was still on the shorter side, but much more fit and slender. She was a young lady now, with breasts, curves and hips. She looked so much older and so much more mature. She still, however, looked just as angry as before.

The headline read: "Evil Turns Sixteen."

"Ugh," Stephen complained. "Why do they bother to write a story about her, too? Why give her any more fame? They're just feeding into the villains' sick and desperate wants for attention."

Cherry frowned. She understood that Stephen didn't mean to offend her. After all, nobody but the government, Blossom, Candy, Cat and herself knew about Cat only pretending to be a villain, in order to defeat Jojo. "Yeah," she said simply, turning the paper over, so that the article was gone.

Cherry sipped her latte quietly as Stephen began to cheerfully talk about his school science project. However, she could barely listen to him then. Her mind was on Cat. She was concerned for her sister. What if the plan wasn't for the best after all? The world hated Cat. They wanted to see her dead. How could their feelings towards her ever be reversed? Cat was seen as Evil. Would her life ever be normal again?

Cherry was conflicted every day. But what other choice was there?

* * *

Cat began her walk through City Hall's grand garden. Every Thursday and Saturday morning, Cat had defense training with Jojo in the garden. As she walked, she searched through the rows of roses for someone. Finally, she found her.

Her name was Leticia. She had began working in the garden about four months ago. Her uncle was the landscaper for City Hall, and once she graduated high school, she began working with him. Leticia was seventeen. She was a quiet girl, with long, dark brown hair, always fashioned in a simple braid. Her skin was tanned and reminded Cat of caramel. Cat had an immediate crush on the girl at first sight.

Cat approached Leticia from behind, taking off her headphones that were previously on her head. She took out her small notebook and black Sharpie. She always had these items in her back pocket. She used them to communicate with others. Cat quickly began to write her message to the young gardener.

Leticia was knelt down on the ground, preparing the soil for new plants, and hadn't noticed Cat yet. Cat tapped the girl on the shoulder softly. She turned around and a big smile swept her face. "Hi!" she greeted.

Cat waved with a big grin. She handed Leticia the note she had prepared. It read: "I have a new song for you."

"Really?" Leticia grinned. Cat and Leticia had become fast friends over the last few months. Every Thursday and Saturday, they talked before Cat's training began. They clicked immediately, and she was the first new friend who wasn't a villain that Cat had made while living in City Hall. Almost every week, Cat had a "new song" for Leticia. Cat always explained that the song was especially just for her. It was the sweetest way of flirting Leticia ever known.

Cat knelt down in front of Leticia and carefully placed her headphones around the Latina's ears. Leticia smiled as she waited for Cat to press play on her iPod.

As the song began to play, Leticia kept smiling. She read the title on the screen to be "Nothing But Flowers" by Talking Heads. It wasn't a surprise since she knew the band to be Cat's favorite. The song started off a very light melody.

"_Here we stand,_

_Like an Adam and Eve,_

_Waterfalls,_

_The Garden of Eden,_

_Two fools in love,_

_So beautiful and strong,_

_The birds in the trees,_

_Are smiling upon them._

_From the age of dinosaurs,_

_Cars have run on gasoline,_

_Where, where have they gone?_

_Now, it's nothing but flowers."_

Leticia smiled, feeling touched. She thought the lyrics to be sweet and caring, since Cat knew how much Leticia loved nature- specifically flowers. Cat's grin widened, but Leticia caught a glimpse of deviousness in her eyes. She grew skeptical and listened closely to the lyrics of the song as the singer continued:

"_There was a factory,_

_Now there are mountains and rivers,_

_You got it, you got it_

_We caught a rattlesnake,_

_Now we got something for dinner,_

_We got it, we got it_

_There was a shopping mall,_

_Now it's all covered with flowers,_

_You've got it, you've got it_

_If this is paradise,_

_I wish I had a lawnmower!"_

Leticia gasped, "Hey!" she yelled, playfully swatting at Cat. "That's not nice!"

Cat had a silent fit of laughter, poking at Leticia.

Leticia laughed, too. "Why are you so mean to me, Cat?" she teased.

Cat stood up and signaled at her own villain's uniform as if to say: "_Duh_. Villain."

Leticia laughed. She lowered the headphones. "Ah, you villains can't be all that bad. After all, if it weren't for people like you, my parents and uncles would still be behind bars for no good reason at all."

Cat just smiled. She paused for a moment and then held up a finger, asking for Leticia to wait as she wrote something. She held up her notepad for Leticia to read: "Can I ask you something, Leti?"

Leticia nodded: "Of course."

Cat scribbled a new note. She hesitated a little before showing it: "Would you like to see a movie with me?"

Leticia's cheeks flushed a bright pink immediately. "Like a date?" she asked.

Cat weighed her hands back and forth and then nodded with a nervous smile. "Well… yeah…."

Leticia smiled, too. "Yes, Cat. I'd love to."

Cat grinned big. At that moment Jojo called from the distance, announcing that it was time for training. Leticia handed Cat her headphones back, and Cat began to back away from her, returning her headphones to around her neck. As she walked backwards, she quickly wrote a new note: "Tonight at 8?"

Leticia nodded: "Sounds good."

She waved at Leticia, feeling overwhelmed with joy. She flew over to Jojo who stood there waiting for her.

"So," Jojo began. "Did you finally ask her out?"

Cat nodded, and the two exchanged high-fives.

As they walked through the garden, Cat could not help but notice that Jojo appeared a little anxious.

"What is it?" Cat signed.

"Nothing," Jojo signed in return. She paused before continuing: "Before we begin, I thought you'd like to see the list of the next five cities ready for invasion?"

Cat nodded: "Sure."

Jojo handed her a piece of paper. At the top of the list was the city of Neighborfield.

Cat froze when she read the name. What did this mean? They were going to try to take over Neighborfield… but that's where Cherry and Candy were.

"I think you're ready, Kiddo," Jojo explained. "I think it's about time you face those sisters of yours for good."

Cat blinked at the villain, unsure of how to respond.

"What's the matter?" Jojo asked.

Cat hesitated. "…I don't think I'm ready yet," she signed slowly.

Jojo smiled. "Of course you are," she tried to reassure.

"…OK," Cat signed.

Jojo caught the hesitation. "Hey, Kid," she began in a serious tone, "I know you feel a little uneasy about this. I know your relationship with your sisters ended on neutral terms, so naturally, you're not as sore as I was to defeat them. But you're a villain now, and they're standing in our way of world domination. We've been postponing this for too long. They have to be faced."

Cat didn't say anything. She folded the list and shoved it in her back pocket.

Jojo sighed. "Look, Kiddo. Where are they now? Sitting pretty over there, that's where. Have they ever tried to come and see you? Sent you letters? The few times you try to meet them in battle, they run scared. They don't care about you, Cat. If they did, would they really leave you here with me who is supposed to be the biggest bad to exist? ."

Cat admired and trusted Jojo, but this was something she could not believe. Her sisters had to still care… they made a promise, after all.

* * *

Blossom sat by herself at the kitchen table. Both her daughters were each out for dinner with their boyfriends. As she sat at the table, slowly finishing her simple pasta dinner, her eyes fell on the newspaper article in front of her.

She stared at the photo of her third daughter, Cat. Normally, the evil look in the teenager's eyes would make her cringe. However the look in her eyes went unnoticed. Blossom was simply admiring what a strong, and powerful young woman she seemed to have become. She ignored all signs of "villainy" in the photograph and only focused on the positive.

Her little girl was grown up now. She thought about Candy and Cherry's new relationships with their own boyfriends and how proud it made her feel. "I wonder if Cat has anyone special in her life?" she smiled to herself, still gazing at the photograph.

As her eyes fell on the sinister headline, her smile faded at the sight of the word "evil." At the sight of the word, the dark facts about the photo began to appear, too. Blossom finally cringed when noticing that sinister stare.

Her mind immediately fell back to a memory of Buttercup at that age. She remembered the moment when she had to admit to herself that her sister was Evil. She remembered the day she had to forget her relationship to the villain. No longer sisters, but enemies. She closed her eyes and secretly prayed that she would never have to do the same to Cat. "Please," she whispered to herself, "don't _ever _make me have to renounce her... because I could never bring myself to do it."

* * *

That evening, Cat knew what she had to do: She had to talk to Cherry about the upcoming invasion of Neighborfield. As soon as Jojo left City Hall with Princess for a dinner date, Cat made her way over to the forbidden city.

When she arrived at her old home, she flew straight for Cherry's bedroom window. However when she arrived, and peered inside, she noticed that Cherry had company. Her sister was on her bed, making out innocently with her boyfriend, Stephen. Cat was shocked at the sight of her sister with a boy. She never imagined Cherry to be interested in dating. But then again, the last time she knew her, she was barely thirteen.

Cat floated up to the roof of the home, and sat there. She kept her eyes on the front of the home, waiting to see the boy leave. Unfortunately, she had to wait for over an hour for that to happen. Cat was irked. Who did this guy think he was? She had a date in just now twenty minutes, after all. That leaved barely any time left for her important conversation with Cherry.

Cat flew through the window, and found Cherry sitting at her desktop computer. Cherry turned around at the sound of her window sliding open. It took a moment for her to recognize her sister. "Cat!" she exclaimed with a big smile. She stood up immediately and approached her sister.

Cat smiled back weakly. She watched her sister as she walked up to her. Cherry certainly looked different. She was much taller now. Cherry had always been a couple inches taller than Cat, but now Cat guessed her to be at least five feet and nine or ten inches… where as Cat was barely five feet, four inches. Cherry's hair was shoulder length, and still a beautiful dark, cherry red. She used to have freckles as a kid, but now her skin was fair and spotless. She had several ear piercings which surprised Cat… she could never imagine Blossom allowing such a thing.

When Cherry reached her sister, she stood in front of her opening her arms, offering a hug to Cat. Cat hesitantly lifted her arms, and the two shared an awkward hug. It was odd being so close after being so far away for years. Cat felt like she was hugging a total stranger.

"What are you doing here?" Cherry asked as she pulled away.

Cat could hear her sister's phone ringing from her pocket. She pointed at it.

"No, forget it. I'll get it later. What are you doing here, Cat? What's with the headphones? Can you even hear what I'm saying?" Cherry asked with a giggle, finding the attire to be a little silly.

Cat felt a little annoyed with Cherry's laugh. She reluctantly took the headphones off from her ears and rested them on her shoulders, looped around her neck.

"I have some news," Cat signed. "It's pretty bad."

Cherry frowned. "What's going on?"

"Well-"

Cat was interrupted by Cherry's phone again. Cherry rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she frowned, taking her phone out, and texting at lightning speed before putting it back in her jeans pocket.

Cat frowned. "Anyways. Jojo told me today that the next city we'll be invading is Neighborfield. I don't know what to do, Cherry."

"Is that it?" Cherry asked. "It's simple, Cat: Lose the battle. Tell Jojo you're clearly not ready, and the invasion is postponed until we're ready for our plan. Problem solved!"

Cat shook her head: "No, I can't do that," she signed.

"Why not?" Cherry raised an eyebrow.

Cat paused. Because she didn't want to lose. She didn't want to let Jojo down, that's why. But she knew she couldn't tell Cherry that.

Cherry's phone rang again. "I'm sorry, Cat. Just one sec, OK?" she took the phone out and answered it: "Baby, I can't talk right now, OK? What is it?" Candy stepped outside the room.

Cat rolled her eyes at her sister's behavior. For God's sake, the boy just left a few minutes ago. Did he really need to call? It wasn't as if it could be _that _important.

Cat began to walk through her sister's room. The last time she saw it, it was full of Barbie dolls and stuffed animals. There were some stuffed animals-obviously new- amongst a giant pile of gifts, cards, and flowers which sat in the corner of the room. Her walls were covered in photos of her and her friends. Right above her computer, she saw a photo booth strip of Candy and Cherry together. On her desk, was a photo of Cherry and her boyfriend, smiling in Christmas Santa hats together. Also on the desk was a Teen Magazine with Cherry and Candy on the cover. One glance at Cherry's computer screen, and she saw that there were a dozen instant messages waiting for her from obvious friends and classmates.

As her eyes fell on each item, Cat felt sting after sting. She was beginning to quickly realize that her sisters lived a very different life than she. She became instantly envious of Cherry's life. She clearly was very popular and a very successful super hero.

Finally, Cat's eyes fell on a large family portrait on the wall. It was of Blossom, Cherry and Candy together. They all looked so happy. Cat's heart stung the most at this sight. They all wore matching polos and jeans, as if they carefully coordinated the photograph. Their smiles were big, as if they didn't have a care in the world. Cat couldn't help but feel a little… betrayed. How could they be so happy without her in their lives?

Suddenly, she could hear Jojo's voice in her head:

"_Face it, Kiddo, they've moved on…. And if you haven't faced that fact yet, well, it's time you start today_."

Cat felt her body grow tense with anger, as she stared at her ex-family's happy smiles. She could hear Cherry outside the room, still talking to her boyfriend.

"She doesn't care," Cat thought to herself, "She just expects me to postpone the battle… and for what? For her convenience? She'd rather leave me at City Hall with the villains for how much longer? Another three years? She really doesn't care…." Cat felt hot, as these negative thoughts about her sister began to fill her head.

The sound of Cherry laughing happily with her boyfriend on the phone drove her mad. After all, coming to see her sister was a big risk for Cat. If Jojo happened to see her… or any villain for that matter…. And she risked it to warn her old family of the invasion. It wouldn't change Cat's situation at all. And now Cherry couldn't even take the time to talk to her.

At that moment, Cat could hear herself screaming in her own head. She looked down at her hands and saw them light up with her sound blasts. She scrambled quickly for her headphones and fumbled to fix them back around her ears, as the power grew painfully louder inside her head. It was like that when she got too upset. If she didn't release her sound blast, the noise in her mind only worsened. The only other way she could ever quiet it was by listening to music for some reason. Jojo always said that it was because Cat didn't use her special power enough… so it made it more prone to backfire more easily. "You need to release it, Kiddo… or else it will just keep building up." But Cat tried her best not to unleash her special powered sound blast. Every time she did, she could feel herself fall more and more in love with the power she felt with it. She loved the idea of having the power to command anyone she wished to listen to her. Not only listen, but have her _voice _be the last thing they would ever hear. Her voice… she missed it so much. The only place it existed was in her own head… unless she used her sound blast. She absolutely loved it. However, she knew she wasn't supposed to feel that way… She knew Cherry would disapprove. She would call it something a villain would say. And a villain was something she was trying to avoid… despite how tempting it was. So she decided not to use her power, unless absolutely necessary. That was why Cat always had the headphones around her ears.

As Cat turned up the volume on her iPod, Cherry re-entered the room. She could see Cat standing with her back to her, looking somewhat panicked as she fidgeted with her music device. "Cat?" Cherry called out, but Cat could not hear her.

Cat clung to her headphones as her sound blast slowly faded away, along with the noise in her head. She exhaled slowly, feeling relieved. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped backwards at the unexpected touch.

"What are you doing?" Cherry laughed finding Cat's actions to be a little weird.

Cat blinked at Cherry, and then glared at her angrily as she laughed. "Stop laughing!" she signed, but Cherry didn't notice her signing as she still giggled. Cat grew angrier. "Stop!" she signed again, stomping her foot this time, causing the floor to shake beneath them.

Cherry abruptly stopped. She blinked dumbly at her sister who glared back at her.

"Just forget it," Cat signed. "I don't have time for this!" The yellow-eyed teenager pushed past her tall sister and marched over to the window.

"Cat, wait!" Cherry called after her, feeling instantly guilty. She didn't mean to offend Cat. She was just having fun… like they used to. What was the big deal?

Cat flew quickly back to City Hall. As she traveled through the air, the words repeated in her head again:

"_Face it, Kiddo, they've moved on."_

* * *

Cat's mind raced as she flew back to Townsville. Every day Cat had to live with someone who she secretly admired, but somehow she was expected to force herself to hate her. Because that's what was "right" and that's what she had to do to keep that stupid promise. Why keep the promise? She didn't want to after all.

Even if they went through with it… what would this mean for Cat? She would lose the only friend she had. She would live with that guilt forever. Jojo gave her everything. Jojo supported her and believed in her. Jojo risked her relationship with her girlfriend even for her.

How dare Cherry even think it were so simple for Cat to throw the biggest battle of her life!

Cat had to keep the music playing, or else she would definitely lose it tonight.

She landed inside her room, and by that point, she had to have her mp3 player on its maximum volume setting in order to keep her sound blast contained. She paced back and forth in her room, clinging to her headphones, desperately trying to think of another way to release this incredible tension that kept building.

She was mad. Very mad. She ran over to her bed, and took her pillow, ripping off the pillow case. She quickly reached inside and searched for a photograph she kept there. It was an old photo of her and Cherry and Candy. It was taken when they were thirteen… just before Cat left. Just before their lives changed forever. Just before, Cat guessed, Cherry changed forever.

Cat took the photo and began to shred it into a thousand pieces. As she tore apart the photograph, she felt no regrets about it. Piece after piece, the faces in the photo were permanently destroyed. The happy memory was no more. Cat breathed hard as she stared at the shreds of paper at her feet. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, feeling herself finally begin to cool. She took her music player and turned it off, returning her headphones to around her neck.

At that moment she heard a knock at her bedroom door: "Cat!" Jojo called from the other side, "Leticia's here!"

Instantly the rage Cat had just felt, was forgotten. A big grin swept the teenager's face and she rushed over to her wall mirror to check her reflection. She fixed her hair, combing her fingers through it once, straightened her belt, and hurried outside.

* * *

After their movie date, Cat walked Leticia home through the streets of Townsville. They had watched a grind house double feature. Perfect for the two girls since they both very much loved classic horror movies. It was late now as they walked the streets- about 2:00 AM-so naturally the streets were deserted.

Leti spoke cheerfully about the films they saw, and Cat mostly listened. It was hard, after all to communicate with the girl. Leticia did not know American Sign Language, so Cat had to write everything she wanted to say or ask. But as it turned out, Leticia was quite the energetic chatter box once she came out of her shell… so it wasn't too awkward for Cat.

"What about you?" Leticia finally stopped rambling to ask. "Did you enjoy it?"

Cat simply nodded with a smile.

Leticia smiled too. They then experienced their first awkward silence. It lasted for about three minutes. Cat grew nervous, unsure of what to say… or rather what to write.

Finally Cat wrote: "You still live at home with your parents?"

"Yeah," Leticia answered. "It's not too much farther. Just down this street we're coming up here."

Cat nodded. She paused and then wrote: "Have you always lived here in Townsville?"

"Yes," she replied with a smile. "I was born here. My parents and grandparents immigrated here. They were originally from Mexico. My dad's brothers lived here as citizens though and helped them cross the border. We were all just fine up until right after I was born. That's when their citizenship status was discovered and they went to jail. They took my uncles, too. But thankfully, not much later, Jojo came into power and broke free everyone in prison."

Cat smiled. She watched Leticia as she walked. The girl looked and saw her staring and Cat quickly looked away nervously. She started to write a new note: "Can I ask you something?" it read.

Leticia nodded. "Of course."

"Does my disability bother you?" Cat wrote.

Leticia smiled. "Not at all." She paused. "I find that it adds to your charm," she said. "There's just something so cute about all your mannerisms and gestures. You're so funny with your facial expressions at times… I know when you're being a jokester," Leticia laughed. "Or at times your expressions are so sincere… it's like I can feel what you're trying to say without having to say it. It's intriguing."

Cat blushed.

"And it's just extra sweet… the way you always dedicate new songs to me… In a way, those songs are like your voice to me. It's cute." Leticia paused as she stopped walking and turned to face Cat. She looked her in the eyes: "You're cute Cat."

Cat blushed even more. She began to lift her notebook and Sharpie to begin writing a response, but Leticia put her hand over the paper, and gently pushed it back down. The brown-eyed girl leaned in, and Cat remained frozen still in surprise as Leticia planted her lips softly on hers.

Cat closed her eyes slowly and savored her first kiss with Leticia. It was surprisingly warm, in the 2:00 AM cold.

"We're here," Leticia said softly as their lips parted.

Cat's eyes fell on the home in front of them. She pointed at the house and raised an eyebrow as if to ask: "Here?"

Leticia nodded. "Yeah. Would you like to come in?"

Cat nodded, and Leticia took her by the hand and led her up the pathway to her home.

Inside, Cat was surprised to find the lights still on in the home. It was late, after all, so she expected Leticia's family to be asleep. Instead, as they entered the living room, she could hear the TV on, and saw a man and a woman sitting on the living room sofa. Their heads turned as they heard the door click behind Cat and Leticia.

They immediately jumped to their feet and began to approach them with giant smiles. Cat was taken aback by the sudden warm greeting as Leticia's father erupted in a loud: "Cat! It's so nice to meet you finally!"

Before Cat even realized it, Leticia's mother had Cat pulled in a tight embrace. She hugged the teenager firmly as if she were her own family. "Oh my goodness, yes! It's so nice to meet you, Cat! Are you hungry?"

Cat blinked back at the woman with a nervous smile, thinking to herself: "Are you insane? It's two in the morning, Lady!"

"Mom, I think she's fine," Leticia answered for her. "We had a lot of popcorn. Right, Cat?"

Cat nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure?" the woman insisted.

"Yes, Mom. We're fine."

"Are you _sure_?" she kept on.

"_Mam__á__,_" Leticia took a deeper tone in voice. "_S__í__, est__á__ bien."_

Suddenly Cat had her hand in Leticia's father's hand as he shook it vigorously. "I cannot tell you what an honor it is to meet you! You could imagine how proud I was to hear that my daughter was going on a date with such a powerful young villain!" he said with a huge grin.

Cat glanced at Leticia who seemed red with embarrassment as her father still shook Cat's hand violently.

"Please," he continued, "You must tell my personal thanks to Jojo. Tell her that we are forever in her debt for her bravery. Without her help, we would never have been here to raise our beautiful daughter, Leti. Please. You must tell her I say thanks."

Cat nodded. She felt a little overwhelmed. She had never really met any ordinary citizens of Townsville. She knew that most of them were ex-crooks or cons… the "good" citizens moved out a long time ago. She didn't know that those who remained behind viewed Townsville as a sanctuary of sorts. She didn't realize that they all loved Jojo, and consequently for some reason they all seemed to automatically like Cat, too.

Eventually Leticia's mother convinced Cat to stay to have a "little something" which turned out to be more like a three-course meal. However, Cat greatly enjoyed herself. She felt comfortable with Leti and with her parents. They all seemed to admire Cat just for being a villain. She never received so much praise and awe in her life.

It was nearly 4:00 AM when Cat was finally leaving their home. On the way out, Leticia's father reminded her to please tell Jojo his thanks. Cat nodded and promised that she would.

"That Jojo sure is something great!' he beamed, shaking the young villain's hand one final time.

Cat smiled and nodded. She thought to herself: "Yeah… she really is."


	9. Chapter 9

**Villain: The Epilogue**

**Chapter 9**

Blossom held Cherry in a tight embrace as the teenager cried. "So she just left?" Blossom asked again. Blossom was just unloading the dishwasher in the kitchen when her redheaded daughter came flying down the stairway in tears. Cherry revealed to her that her sister Cat had visited, and the reunion was less than positive.

Cherry nodded. "Mom, I feel awful," she wiped at her tears. "I didn't mean to offend her. I was just joking. I guess her sense of humor has changed…" she frowned.

"People change," Blossom said quietly, reaching into her lab coat, and pulling out a tissue for her.

Cherry sniffed as she took the Kleenex. "I know, but…" Cherry trailed off not knowing what she wanted to say exactly. "Mom," she began again. "What do we do now?"

Blossom sighed deeply. "I'll get the Mayor on the phone. He needs to know about the upcoming invasion. Did Cat say when it was exactly?"

"No. She just said that Neighborfield was next."

Blossom nodded. "Well, we need to be prepared for whenever it happens. As for Cat… I fear you girls may not be ready for this, but it's clear that we don't have very many options at this point. We need to begin the plan. Tomorrow, you and your sister will bring Cat home. If she stays with the villain any longer…" Blossom shook the negative thoughts from her mind. "We're running out of time, Cherry. We need to bring Cat home. And immediately after… we must defeat Jojo for good."

* * *

Cat was almost too excited to sleep. She had completely forgotten about how angry her sister had made her earlier, or that it had even happened. Her mind was solely on her date with Leticia. Thinking about the girl caused a wide smile to sweep the young girl's face. She felt hopelessly smitten by her. She danced as she dressed herself in her pajamas- an old Talking Heads band shirt she had since she was fourteen, and a pair of loose, plaid pajama bottoms. She climbed into bed, and sighed deeply as she closed her eyes and lay her head on her pillow.

It seemed as soon as Cat closed her eyes and drifted to sleep that early morning, she was awoken immediately. Her eyes shot open, as loud screeching sirens filled her ears. She abruptly sat up in her bed. Her room blinked with a bright red glow in simultaneous rhythm with the deafening alarm. She looked up at her ceiling and saw the alarm there sounding. She had always been aware of the bulky device in her room, but this was the first time she had ever seen it triggered. Truthfully, she had no idea what it meant.

Cat glanced at her alarm clock and saw that it only read to be 5:36 AM. Cat immediately threw off her green bed sheets and climbed out of bed. She opened the door to her bedroom to reveal the rest of City Hall in complete chaos. As she traveled down the hallway in search of Jojo, every room was filled with the blinking red lights and loud alarms screaming.

The atmosphere was tense, and it cause Cat to feel very uneasy. She sensed that something was definitely very wrong. What was going on?

At long last, Cat saw Jojo approaching down the adjacent hallway at a quick pace, with many of the other villains surrounding her. They all looked panicked, except for Jojo who just looked more angry than anything. "What the hell are you trying to tell me? How the fuck would anyone think to attack _our _city? Who the hell do they think they are?" she shouted at Ace who was by her side.

Jojo and the other villains stopped as they crossed paths with Cat. "Well?" Jojo shouted at them all. "What the hell are you all staring at? Don't just stand there! Get your asses in gear!" At those words, the other villains scattered.

"What's going on?" Cat signed to Jojo as soon as the tall villain's eyes fell on the teenager.

Jojo took a moment to exhale deeply. The villain's fists were clenched tightly and aflame with her glowing death ray. Jojo managed to shake the power away. "The western side of the city has just been hit, Cat," she explained. "Someone must have tipped the government off that Neighborfield was next to be conquered, since most of the troops appear to be from Neighborfield. Oh, those bastards, love their little Utopia this much, huh?" she shook her fists.

Cat gulped. She could imagine this was a result of her telling Cherry about the villain's plan to invade Neighborfield. Cat realized another thing: "_Where _is the attack?" she signed to Jojo, hoping that she misheard that fact.

"The west," Jojo said again. "Why?"

Cat's eyes went wide as she slipped into a panic. Leticia and her family lived on the western side of the city. Without providing any explanation, Cat disappeared in front of Jojo with a flash of yellow light.

* * *

Cat flew towards the western part of the city at the quickest speed she could manage. She was so intent on getting to Leticia's home that she didn't care or remember to change out of her pajamas or put on shoes. She had to make sure that her sweetheart and her family were OK.

When she arrived upon the scene, she found it to be in ruins. Every home, building and business was set ablaze with fire. The fire spread as the troops and tanks traveled further into the city, lighting off missile after missile. As Cat zipped through the streets, she punched out any soldier in her way.

Finally she made her way to the small home that was Leticia's. She burst through the front door, to find herself in a dark, smoky place. It was much different than just a few hours ago- so bright and full of life. Now, the only lights were from the flames that slowly spread through the home. There was rubble and debris everywhere. Cat raced through the home, her mind growing frustrated with the fact that she could not call out for anyone.

She busted through a door and found herself to be trapped in hot, smoldering fire. She immediately retreated. She stared at the room, unsure of what to do. It was completely ablaze. She tried the next room, and it was the same. There was no way to get in, and definitely no way for anyone to get out. Finally, she came to the third door, and although it was heavily filled with black smock and debris, the fires were mostly contained.

She flew into the room, and stood in the center. Her eyes searched frantically amongst the large slabs of concrete, and piles of bricks for a sign of Leticia. Finally, her eyes fell on a long braid that stuck out from the bottom of a very large piece of debris. She rushed over to the giant slab of concrete and lifted it, tossing it over her head and through the next wall. As it burst through the wall, a large explosion of fire erupted from the other side.

Instinctly, Cat grabbed Leticia from where she lay and rolled with her backwards, away from the fiery blast. With her back against the flames, she held onto Leticia's body, keeping her close to hers and shielding her from the fire which ignited into bigger and bigger flames with every second.

Cat carried Leticia's body outdoors and as soon as she could feel the intense heat gone, she looked down in her arms at her beloved.

The girl's face was crushed like a soda can. It was a bloody soaked mess. As she held her in her arms, she could feel how limp her body was. Nearly every bone inside of her must have been broken. Shards of glass and metal pierced her body like an abused Voodoo doll.

As Cat cradled her in her arms, she cried and petted her tangled hair. She was dead. Leticia- who she had just seen a few hours prior- was now dead. The feeling that filled her was like nothing she ever experienced before. Her heart was just as hot as the fire she just escaped. Her mouth was dry as she wept silently. Her mind's frustration grew as she bit her tongue, trying to release the tension inside of her. How she wished she could scream at the top of her lungs and curse the names of those responsible for this. She bit her tongue and her mouth filled with blood.

Her eyes were shut painfully as she screamed inside her head. "_How could this have happened?_" she cried in her mind. "She didn't do anything to deserve this! She didn't do anything! Leticia! Leti! Oh _God_, why would this happen? How could this have happened? WHO WOULD DO THIS?"

A large explosion sounded several yards away from her. Cat opened her eyes at this noise and saw a bomb hit the home across the street from her. She watched the wall collapse under the weight of the explosion and the roof of the home ripped off completely, making it rain heavy chunks of material upon all who may have been inside.

Cat felt herself fill with rage. Her eyes narrowed as she laid Leticia's body down gently and stood to face the tank that approached her. Cat could see her vision begin to blur as her eyesight grew hot with the yellow waves that surrounded her.

Her body was stiff, as she gritted her teeth. The girl was surrounded by her invisible waves. She was an orb of energy, but only she could see the yellow glow that surrounded her. To the army that approached her, all they saw was a barefooted young teenager in her Pjs, standing there with a nasty glare.

The leading tank continued to drive towards her, with no regard for its surroundings. It slowly climbed nearer and Cat prepared herself. She waited for the vehicle to stop directly in front of her. The barrel of the military tank was just two inches from her face. A radio speaker sounded from the vehicle: "Move now, Kid, before we shoot."

Cat remained still, glaring down the barrel. She could feel the heat that radiated from it. She did not blink as the officer warned again: "This is your last chance. Move now, before we shoot."

Cat felt herself growing with power as her sound wave grew. The screaming in her head was increasing with volume as she yelled in her mind: "DO IT! DO IT ALREADY! JUST DO IT!"

"Prepare to fire, in three… two…"

Within that last second, Cat disappeared within a blink of an eye. She zipped quickly through the two dozen tanks that stood before her. As she flew past each tank, she redirected their barrels so that they pointed at one another.

"One!"

Each tank fired obediently, unaware of their new positions. The missiles struck each opposing tank, resulting in a massive explosion. Cat flew up above the fire, and watched the tanks being destroyed. From the sky, her eyes fell on another fleet approaching. These were soldiers on foot. She watched them begin to invade the homes of the citizens of Townsville. The screaming in her mind increased greatly in volume.

Cat zoomed down towards the crowds of military men. She approached the first soldier who turn on her and began shooting. She paused, standing still, as the bullets bounced off her flesh. She grabbed the first soldier and sucker punched him, before letting him fall unconscious and presumably dead. The other soldiers who witnessed this, stood still in shock as she began beating them senseless, one by one.

Once she defeated that first fleet, she forced her way into the homes of the civilians of Townsville, signaling frantically to all the citizens to run. She pointed her finger towards the east.

One by one, the western homes of Townsville began to evacuate. Cat's ears rang loudly as the noise from her sound blast filled her mind. Cat gritted her teeth, trying her best to endure the torture. She didn't have her headphones, and she couldn't release her sound blast while the people of Townsville were in the immediate area. She could see that her entire body was swallowed in her power- she knew that whenever she came to release it… it would be the biggest sound wave she had ever produced. She ached to release it, but she had to get the people to safety first.

As Cat warned the last family on the block, a second mob of soldiers attacked Cat from behind with their useless bullets. She turned around and glared at them. They stopped at the sight of Cat's fierce yellow eyes, flinching at the sight of the youngster's great power.

Cat flew at them, shooting the first row of men down with her laser eyes. She picked up the bodies of those fallen comrades and threw them at another approaching crowd to her left. Cat picked up the first soldier who stood in front of her cowering in fear as his fleet began to scatter like scared roaches.

She held the man by his collar and raised her fist to punch him. He threw up his hands and began to cry: "Please, don't! I have a wife and-" Cat interrupted his plea with a hard punch to the face, which caused the man's head to whip around a complete 360 degrees.

"A wife and child? What a laugh!" Cat thought. "A family like Leticia's? Or any of these other innocent families that you've destroyed?"

Cat threw down the soldier and grabbed her next victim. He too, tried to plead for mercy, but he, too, was quickly silenced forever.

With every beg and plea that was shouted at her, Cat's anger and rage only worsened. She wailed inside her mind, nearing maximum volume now, frustrated with the military men's hypocrisy as they begged.

Cat had to pause her attacks as the screaming inside of her almost became too much. Her mind throbbed with pain, as she clawed at her own ears for the noise to stop. She had to release this pain. It was too much.

Suddenly they all began to retreat, although their commanding officer yelled at them to attack.

Cat flew up into the air, to get a better view of the retreating soldiers. Her body was the most stiff she ever felt as her power surrounded her in the largest sound sphere she had ever witnessed from her power. Cat looked over her shoulder, peering at the civilians who fled in the streets.

Cat cried out silently as her ears and head throbbed painfully, as she waited for the last straggling people to get out of harms way. Finally, the path appeared to be clear.

Cat faced the army again. She crossed her arms, as she usually did to concentrate all that energy. The waves began to travel to the middle of her arm's "X." The waves concentrated and shaped a large ball of invisible yellow energy. Cat closed her eyes, as she focused as best she could amid the horrible screaming.

"These bastards think they can get away with this? They think they've come to terrorize? I'll show them what true terror is! They'll regret ever stepping foot in this city! They'll regret what they've done! They will pay for what they've done!"

Once the noise became too much for her, she opened her eyes. She threw down her arms to her side, releasing her great power: **_"YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"_**

The concentrated sphere erupted into a loud booming explosion. The invisible force sent a singular, massive sound wave, about a mile in diameter, sweeping over all the incoming and retreating troops at the western border of Townsville. Those that were fleeing, or marching unknowingly inside, fell to their knees immediately as they grabbed their ears in desperate pain as the young villain's death wish echoed through their heads.

* * *

Cherry, Candy and Blossom stared in shock as the events played out before them on their living room television set.

"We're invading?" Candy squeaked as she watched the armored tanks plow through the city of Townsville.

"Apparently so," Cherry answered quietly. She glanced at her mother who sat between her and her sister on the sofa.

Blossom blinked dumbly at the TV. "The mayor never mentioned this. He didn't say anything about this…."

The live footage continued to play on the TV. It was an aerial shot, narrated by whoever flew the helicopter. "If you are just tuning in, we are watching live footage of the invasion of Townsville. After receiving a tip last night that city of Neighborfield was next on Townsville's attack list, the Mayor of Neighborfield, as well as the federal government have made their first ever attack on the city of Townsville."

About two dozen tanks traveled through the city. Their formation was in the shape of a pyramid. Suddenly the leading tank stopped in its tracks and the others followed.

"There appears to be a person standing in front of the tanks," the anchorman continued to describe as the camera zoomed in on a teenager in Pjs, standing in front of the tank's path.

The Utonium family gasped in unison, as they jumped to their feet "Cat!" Candy exclaimed. "It's Cat, right?"

Cherry gaped: "It is…. What's she doing?"

The screen was silent for several minutes, before within a blink of an eye, the young villain shot off into the sky, following a large explosion, destroying all the tanks.

Candy let out a yelp as she watched the destruction. Cherry's jaw dropped; she could not believe what she was witnessing. She glanced at Blossom who gave her a firm nod. Cherry swallowed hard, before grabbing Candy's arm and leading her away from the TV: "Come on, Candy. We need to get to Cat now!"

* * *

When Candy and Cherry arrived on the scene, the ground was littered with lifeless bodies of fallen soldiers. There were fires everywhere, as tanks, military jeeps, and crashed jets burned brightly. There didn't seem to be sign of life anywhere. The two sisters stayed hovering over the view in shock. "Cat did this?" Candy asked softly.

Cherry's eyes were wide. She began to feel them involuntarily begin to fill with tears. What she saw… was too much for her. The destruction and the agony of it all… it was all done by her own sister.

When she finally felt the tears begin to slide down her cheek, she immediately began to quickly wipe them away. "Candy," she began, clearing her throat and trying to disguise any sorrow in her voice, "Do you see her anywhere?"

Candy searched the ground and Cherry searched the sky. "There!" Candy shouted, pointing at two figures below.

The two Powerpuff Girls flew towards their sister. They halted, standing several feet behind her. Cat stood, holding up a commanding officer by his collar. She seemingly wasn't causing any harm to the man, but the soldier cried out in agony, as he grasped his ears in pain. Only the military man could here the teen's voice in his head screaming: "WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS? WHY, HUH? WHY WOULD YOU ATTACK INNOCENT CIVILIANS? IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH US VILLAINS THAN YOU PICK A FIGHT WITH US! DO YOU HEAR ME? DO YOU?"

"_PLEASE_ STOP!" the man yelled between his cries.

"Cat!" Candy begged, now in tears. She couldn't believe how terrified the man sounded. She had no idea what was happening to the guy, but she knew it had to be stopped. She began to rush towards Cat, but Cherry stuck her arm out, stopping her in her path.

"Candy, wait…." Cherry warned. She held her breath as she stared at her dark-haired sibling whose back was still towards them. Something was off about her sister. Her very presence affected the surrounding atmosphere in a horrifying way. It was as if pure wickedness radiated from the young girl's posture.

Cat let go of the man who fell to the ground. Once he was on the floor he began cradling himself, crying still in pain. Slowly, the young villain turned to face her sisters.

As her eyes met Cherry's, Cherry's heart stopped. The short girl wore a sinister glare on her face. Her eyes were narrowed and her teeth were clenched tightly. She was tense and strong in her stance. Although her sister did not wear her villainous uniform, there was no doubt to Cherry that who she saw was a villain. For the first time, Cherry saw Cat as Evil. The way she stood among the background scenery of hundreds of dead bodies, fires, debris and demolition… it was the most horrific thing she had ever witnessed. The girl wore a challenging stare and clearly had no regard or slightest remorse for the cries of pain that came from the dying man behind her… she just stared at Cherry, dead in the eyes. And Cherry stared back in shock. For at that very moment-for the very first time- in Cherry's eyes… Cat was a monster.

Cherry's eyes watered as she searched her mind for something to say. "Cat," she began, barely audible. "Did you do all this?" Cherry asked, although she already knew the answer. Perhaps there was still a slight chance that she were wrong about it.

Cat did not answer. She approached her sisters, hovering over to them slowly. She stopped directly in front of them.

When Cat saw her sisters there, the only thing that came to mind was: "There's the one whose responsible for this. There's Cherry. I told her about the planned invasion, hoping to get her help, and what does she do?: She sends an army of heartless soldiers to destroy innocent people. She kills Leti. This is her fault. She is the one responsible for this!"

As these thoughts ran through Cat's head, she could feel her sound blast recharging within her. She saw her sister's lips move, but she could not hear anything. All she could hear was her own screaming in her mind. She was filled with so much rage then. She was dizzy with it. For the first time, Cat looked at Cherry, and saw her as the enemy. At that very moment, in Cat's eyes… Cherry was worthy of death.

Finally, Cherry's voice began to reach Cat, as she began to sign simultaneously as she spoke: "Just… calm down, OK? Cat, we're here to take you home. You can come home now, Cat. Do you understand? Just relax. Calm down. It's time to go home…." The hero tried to remain calm, but she could hear her own voice shaking with emotion. She had never felt fear when speaking with her sister. After all, it didn't feel like her sister… it felt like a total stranger.

"Calm down?" Cat signed.

Cherry nodded. "Yes," she gulped, "Everything is OK, Cat. You don't have to do this anymore. We're taking you-"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Cat signed, forcefully jabbing her fingers towards Cherry. "Why in the world would I want to go home with _you_?"

"Cat," Candy interjected, unsure of what Cat was signing, "It's time to start the plan-"

"No!" Cat tuned to Candy. "The plan is off! This attack was _not _a part of the plan! How could you people do this? You call us Evil! YOU'RE EVIL! You're the monsters! You are what's wrong with the world! Jojo was right! I was an idiot for not believing her sooner!"

Candy blinked back at Cat, not understanding her sign language except for "no." She glanced at Cherry. Cherry's eyes were on Cat.

"Cat, why are you saying these things?" Cherry asked, taking another tone with her sister. "We are telling you that you can come home. Now, stop this insanity and let's go!" Cherry reached out for her sister.

Cat immediately swatted her hand away: "No!" she shook her head violently as she signed, "You don't care about me! You've _never _cared about me! And why should you? You spoiled super heroes have everything! Fame, popularity, millions of fans, endless amounts of love and praise! And while you live your celebrity lives, where do you leave your third, forgotten sister? _Alone_. With a villain who is supposed to be the worst thing on earth. Well, she's not. I like her! She's taught me everything she knows and she's my friend! So fuck you, Cherry! Don't start acting like you care now! Because you never cared at all!"

"What's she saying?" Candy whispered into Cherry's ear.

"_Shh_," Cherry warned.

Cat's eyes fell on Candy. "And _you_," her eyes narrowed. "You _especially _never cared!"

Candy gaped at Cat, unsure of what she was saying to her.

Cat gritted her teeth in frustration, and pulled at her hair. She turned to Cherry: "YOU! TRANSLATE!" She stomped her feet, causing the earth to shake.

Cherry began to interpret Cat's message aloud as Cat angrily signed the words. Cherry's voice was monotone and emotionless as she reluctantly translated: "You especially never cared. After my accident you never even cared to try to talk to me again. You've had years to master ASL, but you stand here completely clueless and as stupid as ever. You have no idea what I'm saying to you, and you could care less."

"Cat, ASL is hard!" Candy tried to desperately explain herself.

"Bullshit," Cherry continued to translate aloud. "Bullshit, Candy. You've had plenty of time. You just don't want to do it. Because you don't care. Half the villains can speak ASL fluently with me, and they've known me a fraction of the time that you have." Cherry paused as Cat did, too.

Cat turned her back for a second as she grabbed at her ears again. The screaming in her mind was returning at a deafening volume. The soldier was still writhing in pain on the floor as his brain matter slowly decayed inside his head. Cat took her right hand and concentrated a small orb of her sound waves and tossed it in his direction, releasing a little tension from her own mind, as well as silencing the man for good.

Cherry and Candy stood horrified as they saw Cat so casually kill the man. Candy began to wail loudly, exploding into a fountain of tears.

Cat turned back to face her sisters. Cherry translated again as Cat signed: "From this moment on… we are no longer sisters. We are enemies. You want a war? You got one."

And with that, the young villain disappeared.

* * *

Cat landed inside her room and her mind was overwhelmed with the noise from her sound blast. She should have released it fully when she had the chance and killed her sisters right then and there, but she didn't. Instead, she let them go, and tore herself away from the situation before she could do it.

Now Cat was in her bedroom, and filled with agony. She was so angry and so enraged. She began to tear her room a part in a fit of madness, as she tried to release the tension that built up inside of her. She tossed over her furniture and punched her wall repeatedly. It wasn't long before Jojo, rushed in to see what was happening.

As soon as Jojo entered the room, her knees buckled under the pressure of Cat's sound blast. Even though the kid wasn't releasing it voluntarily, her body was surrounded by such powerful wavelengths, that they filled the entire bedroom with invisible noise. Jojo grabbed at her ears, and screamed: "Kiddo! Kiddo! Calm down before you explode and kill us all!"

Jojo immediately rushed towards Cat and grabbed her by her shoulders, trying to shake some sense into her. But the teenager just stood in place, grasping onto her head and biting her tongue in pain.

Jojo began to search frantically through Cat's belongings for her headphones. Finally, she located them under her bed and ran over to Cat. She was beginning to feel weak from the powerful and deafening sound. She quickly fixed the headphones around Cat's ears. "Here! Relax, Kiddo! Alright? Relax!"

Cat held onto her headphones and cried as the sound blasts around her slowly began to fade. She felt nauseous. Her head ached horribly, and her body was weak from the pressure of it all. Her mind was numb, as she seemed to temporarily have forgotten where and who she was. She collapsed onto the floor as the noise disappeared and music instead filled her head.

Cat lay on her back, breathing heavily as she cried. She cried out of both pain and out of extreme sorrow.

Jojo sat on the floor next to her, also panting heavily. Her head also throbbed badly, but not as painfully as Cat's. She scooted closer to Cat. "There," she began between gasps for air, "Are you… OK… now?"

Cat shook her head "no" as she continued to cry as she lay on the ground.

"It's not gone yet?" Jojo blinked.

Cat shook her head: "Not that," she signed. "It's not that…."

Jojo frowned, beginning to understand.

Cat tried to sit up, but could not gather enough strength to do so. Jojo saw this and lifted her up, and propped her upright so that she could lean with her back on her bed. Jojo sat beside her.

Cat still cried. "They killed her," she signed to Jojo. "They killed Leti." Cat's tears only worsened after that. She threw her arms around the villain and clung to her as she wept.

Jojo could feel the pain inside of her. "I'm _so _sorry, Kiddo." She held onto the teenager as she still cried. "Don't worry, Kiddo. You will get your revenge."


	10. Chapter 10

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: For those of you wondering, the Epilogue should run between 14-16 chapters. I'm a little unsure of the exact number because my outline looks a little thin on a couple upcoming chapters, so I may just combine the shorter ones… or not. Actually, it might be 17. This is how unsure I am, lol I'll let you know again once we near the end._

_Also: I just wanted to take right now to thank everyone for reading and special thanks to you reviewers. I was really not expecting this many hits/visitors/reviews when I started writing this again due to the huge hiatus. Thanks so much for sticking with this story! It means a lot to me! :D_

_This chapter is a bit slow… one of those lame-o "set up" chapters for everything that is to come in the next. There's so many damn characters… I just want to make certain that it's understood where everyone stands at this point in the story. More action to come immediately following this chapter, I promise!_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"How could you have done this without any warning?"

"A warning? Well that would defeat the purpose of a surprise attack, wouldn't it?"

Blossom felt herself growing hot with anger. She clenched her fists, closed her eyes, and exhaled deeply, trying to recompose herself. "Mayor," she began again, "I don't think you realize just how drastically our situation has changed because of this."

Mayor Kelley had always been her least favorite politician. She certainly didn't vote for the man. It didn't matter which political party he represented. The man was just down right rotten. He reminded Blossom of a spoiled child- and that's exactly what he was. Daddy was mayor and daddy before that mayor… the man didn't really care for the people he governed. He just liked the power and feeling of importance.

Kelley sat at his desk, and stared coldly back at Blossom. He laced his fingers together and propped his hands under his chin, studying the young professor. "How has our situation changed?" he asked purely for amusement.

Blossom sighed. "You know how."

"Look, Blossom," the mayor reclined backwards in his chair a little. "What was I supposed to do after you shared such information with me? Sit back and take it? Hell no! That's not what I stand for, and that's not the man the people elected. I've sworn to protect this city-"

"And so have my daughters," Blossom interjected. "Including Cat. And what you've done is destroy her faith in this city and its people. You've pushed her off the edge, by showing her that we are no different than the villains of Townsville."

"_Cat_?" the man practically spit out the name like a bad taste in his mouth. He stood from his chair and began to walk around his desk, to approach Blossom. "That girl abandoned this city a long time ago. When are you going to get that through your head? Oh what? A part of the plan right? No. No, I don't think it ever was. She's your daughter, and you wish to protect her. Believe me, I understand. I get it: A mother can never give up on her child. However, don't try to feed that bullshit to me or the citizens of this great American city. Your daughter is no hero in disguise. She is a villain. She is one today and always has been."

He stopped, standing directly in front of the ex-superhero. "You saw the footage yourself. She is a monster. How can you keep lying to yourself even after this? You saw the destruction. You saw her kill every single soldier I sent out there with absolutely no hesitation. Face it, Blossom: Your daughter is evil. The Powerpuff Girl formula created by your father is clearly defective. Your sister was born evil and so was Cat. It is in both of their genes. Do you need any more evidence of this?"

Blossom bit her tongue in frustration. "_Cat is nothing like her_!" She shoved her hands in her lab coat pocket forcefully, just to restrain herself from smacking the man across the face. "She would have never done those things if you hadn't foolishly invaded like that," Blossom continued through gritted teeth. "I admit it: Cat has always been on the fence of this situation. I do not blame her. I lied to her. She had no idea who to trust, and if I could do it all over again, I would have been more honest with my daughter. But I can't change what's been done. The fact remains that she was on that fence. But her love for her sisters and her old home kept her there. It kept her from falling to the other side with Jojo. But you," Blossom shook her head in disgust, "You, Mayor, have thrown her off that fence, and she is no longer on our side. She no longer remembers that she loves her sisters. If we lose this war… Mayor Kelley, if you lose your own life… you only have yourself to blame for this. _You _have created a monster."

Blossom turned to leave. She couldn't stand to stare at the politician any longer. As she made her exit, the Mayor, always quick to have the last word shouted at her: "No, Blossom, I'm afraid _you _are her creator!"

* * *

"I see that she's still asleep."

"Yeah," Jojo answered without turning to look to see whose voice it was.

Cat was fast asleep in her bed and had been that way for several hours. The young villain's battle had taken a lot of energy from her. She had never used her special power for such a long period of time. That day she learned that her sound blast had a hugely negative effect on her, if used too largely. She managed to injure herself with its great power. Under the severe pressure of her sound blast, the noise seemed to have pierced a hole or two in her mind. She knew that her power had the ability to drive a person insane before finally perishing… but in the process she had managed to damage her own psyche.

Although, she no longer physically ached, her mind had grown inconsistent. It was as if her brain played like a broken movie reel. The images that flashed before her mind's eye were jumbled- jumping back and forth between past events, present, and imaginary. At one moment she relived a nightmare, and the next, she was happy and content. Skipping from one emotion to the next, caused her to go insane. Jojo insisted all she needed was rest. But she could not escape from this even while she slept. It was the same madness even in her dreams.

Jojo could see this, and so the villain had not left her side since tucking her into bed.

"So you are just going to sit there until she wakes up? Do you really think that is necessary- essential- required- needed? What are you doing by just sitting there? How are you helping exactly? Would it make any difference at all if you left her side?"

Jojo finally recognized the voice and looked up. Mojo stood on the other side of Cat's bed with a serious look and his arms crossed.

Jojo blinked at the chimp. "Where the hell have _you _been, Old Man?"

"Where I should be: Gone and dead. I thought you've finally, at long last, at length, ultimately had healed. Mentally had recovered. Psychologically better. Once the kid showed up, you seemed to have no more need for this imaginary nonsense. Which is a good, positive and well thing. How could you complete your mission as insane and unhealthy as you were? But alas, here I am again. So what is wrong with you now? Why am I here? Why has your subconscious returned to this madness? What reason do you have to conjure up this illusion once again? For what motive am I here, standing before you, at this moment in time?"

"What are you talking about? Nothing's wrong," Jojo answered the imaginary ghost. "I always wondered where you went, you know? It's like you just disappeared without no warning or nothing."

Mojo simply rolled his eyes. "You will never face it, will you?"

"Face what?"

"The truth, Junior. I am gone. Not here. Departed. No more. Passed on. No longer. Deceased. _Dead_."

Jojo just laughed. "Well, it's good to see you, again," she smiled.

The monkey sighed. "I wish I could say the same."

Jojo looked up as she could see Princess pass by the doorway. She walked quickly and held her nose up towards the ceiling, not bothering to look at Jojo as she passed. Princess hadn't talked to her much since yesterday. In fact, it was as if her sweetheart were avoiding her.

"What's with her?" Mojo asked.

"I dunno," Jojo responded. "She's been acting stranger and stranger lately." Jojo shook her head. "She hates the kid. The kid hates her. It's exhausting. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"I see," Mojo scratched his chin in thought. "Sucks to be you."

"Gee, thanks."

* * *

After about eight hours of rest, slowly Cat's chaotic dreams began to fade as her mind repaired itself. When she awoke, she still felt tired. Indeed, her eyes were swollen from exhaustion. But at least she was no longer trapped in madness.

"How you feeling?" Jojo asked as soon as she saw Cat' eyes open.

Cat sat up in bed, and held her head slightly. She looked about her room, pausing for a moment to make certain that the insane images were gone for good. She looked at Jojo and nodded: "Better," she signed.

Jojo smiled. "I still want you in bed, alright? Take today off. You deserve it, Kiddo." Jojo took a moment to look at the teenager. She was still surprised that it was this kid who took out an entire military. All on her own. It wasn't as if Jojo asked her or commanded her to do so. She just did it. "I'm proud of you, Kiddo," she added. "I really am."

Cat smiled at her as she watched the villain stand from her chair at her bedside. "I, on the other hand, have a lot of work to do. I'll check up on you later, alright?"

Cat nodded and watched Jojo leave. She reclined backwards and rested against her pillows. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the events of what happened earlier that day. They all seemed to be lost in the sudden mental illness that consumed her. She tried to sort out what really happened and what was just a product of insanity. She wished half of it to not be true. However, it remained a very ugly reality:

Yes- Leticia was dead.

Yes- Her sister Cherry betrayed her.

Yes- There was an invasion which resulted in the death of hundreds of citizens of Townsville.

Yes- It was all her sister's fault.

Yes- Cherry was the enemy.

Cat could not escape the immediate nausea that overcame her. She reached for her TV remote which sat on her nightstand and switched on the television, looking for anything to get her mind off things. Instead of cartoons, sitcoms, or zombie flicks, every station was fixed on today's events.

"We all knew this would eventually happen," the mayor of Neighborfield spoke to reporters. "Cat was _never _an ally to this city. The child was born a monster. She is, and always has been, an enemy. But I swear to you today, that when we catch this devil- for we _will _win this war- the punishment of death will be all too forgiving for this villain."

Cat glared at the man on the TV before changing the channel.

An anchorman reported: "Over seventeen hundred soldiers are dead today after falling victim to the merciless hand of the ruthless young villain, Cat-"

Next channel: "The federal government has agreed to pull together all forces of the military to aide Neighborfield with this crucial battle. If this battle is lost, it is popular opinion that the entire world will soon fall prey to the evil dictator, Jojo-"

Next channel: "We tried to catch Blossom Utonium for a comment on these events after leaving the mayor's office, but she refused to comment. We were, however, able to speak with Cherry of the Powerpuff Girls outside their home in Neighborfield while her mother met with the mayor."

Cat sat up in bed and listened intently as her sister Cherry appeared on the television screen.

Cherry's eyes were swollen and she looked very tired. She stood beside Candy, who seemed to try to hide her face from the camera, burying her head on the shoulder of her boyfriend who stood beside her. Cherry's boyfriend, Stephen, also stood by her side, with one supportive hand resting on her shoulder as she spoke.

"Well," Cherry began, her eyes were cast downward, "We tried to reason with her, but she refused. I thought I knew who my sister was, but… I guess I don't." Her eyes finally met the camera. "I don't know her at all," she confessed. Her eyes then went from soft, to seriousness. "All we can do now is fight back," she said more confidently. "My sister Candy and I will protect this city. We have sworn to do it, and we mean to. Even if it means we have to bury our old relationships." She paused for a moment, before continuing: "We will do whatever it takes to protect all that is good. After all, this is what our mother created us for… to defend justice. And I promise: That is exactly what we intend to do."

Cat's nausea disappeared and she instead filled with anger once again. She watched as her sister turned her back on the camera, and began to ignore the dozen of follow-up questions being shouted at her by the reporters on the scene. She took her boyfriend's hand and held it as they walked into the home, closing the door behind them.

"That good for nothing little bitch," Cat thought to herself. "That's what she has to say, huh?" she turned off her television in disgust. "And her stupid little boy toy standing next to her! What the hell is that? He has nothing to do with this. Why is he even there? Must be nice to still have your sweetheart, Sis! Where's mine? Oh yeah… she's dead! Thanks to you!"

Cat crossed her arms and reclined again in her bed. "Wouldn't it be nice if she got a taste of her own dirty medicine?" she thought to herself. "I think so."

* * *

"You did good, Sweetie," Stephen tried to encourage his girlfriend as they closed the doors on the reporters. He wrapped his arms around her and held her in a tight hug.

Cherry sighed deeply. "I hate talking to those rats," she muttered.

"I know," Stephen replied. "But the people need to be reassured that you and your sister will protect them. You did good," he repeated.

"Right…" Cherry pulled away and began to walk towards the kitchen to try and find something to eat. She was beyond exhausted. She was beyond her breaking point. But somehow, she managed to bury every emotion inside of her so that she could push forward. She couldn't be sentimental. Not now. They were at war. A serious war. If they lost it… it meant their lives as well as the lives of every free person on the planet.

"Candy, please stop crying already," she said as she opened the refrigerator.

"Yeah, Babe," Candy's boyfriend, Frankie, agreed. The kid was as dumb as rocks, but Candy loved him so much. He was goofy, artsy sort of kid. He had real talent in music, drawing and anything creative- people called him a genius in these fields. However, Frankie was far from that. His IQ had to be the lowest possible. Sadly, they were perfect for each other. "Your sister is dumb," Frankie tried to console her. "Just forget about her! She's ugly anyways! "

Candy erupted into bigger tears.

Cherry sighed. "Not quite the best thing to say, Frank," she said taking out the gallon of milk so that she could fix herself some cereal.

"I-I… I should have l-learned s-s-sign language!" she wailed loudly.

"Sign language is dumb! It's for dumb people who can't hear or talk or whatever! Besides you tried! And it was so dumb you just couldn't do it! It's not your fault that she has to speak stupid sign language! She's dumb! " Frankie tried again, but again she only cried louder and flew quickly out of the room in distress. Frankie chased after her.

Cherry sat at the counter with her bowl and box of Fruity Pebbles. "She'll be OK," she said as she poured her cereal into her bowl.

Stephen took a seat beside her. "Are _you _OK?"

"What do you mean?" Cherry asked, concealing her emotion even further.

"Cherry, I'm not an idiot," Stephen said with sigh. "I know your sister left you guys over three years ago, but I also know that you still care for her at least a little. And even after today, I'm certain you somehow still care, and I'm sure that hurts."

"I don't care," Candy replied indifferently as she picked up her spoon and took her first bite of her cereal. "Not one bit. After today. I'm over it. I'm fine. She's chosen what she wants, and so I've made my choice. If she wants to be a child, and kill thousands of innocent people because of hurt, insignificant feelings, then good for her. I don't care. She can do whatever she wants. I don't care. I don't care at all. Why? Do you think I should care? 'Cause I don't. I don't care. "

Stephen only sighed again. "Alright," he said, giving up.

"Don't judge me, Stephen," Cherry pointed her spoon at him.

"I'm not," he defended.

Cherry raised an eyebrow. "I'm doing what I have to. It's what's best for everyone. I have a job to do, you know? I have a responsibility. A great one."

"When duty calls, huh?"

"Exactly."

* * *

"What should I do, Frankie?" Candy finally calmed down enough to be able to speak actual sentences. The girl had not stopped crying all day since her interaction with Cat.

"Just forget her!" Frankie repeated.

"But I can't!" she cried. "I love my sister! Nothing will ever change that!"

Frankie crossed his arms: "Candy, she hurt lots of people! No wait… she _killed _lots of people! That's like double bad! If not triple bad! She's just plain bad!"

"She said she thinks I don't care about her, but I do!" Candy sniffled. "I've always cared about her! How could she think that?"

"Because she's dumb. Every family has a dumb one, and she's it."

"Maybe if I prove to her that I care, she will understand… maybe she will stop being evil?"

"I don't know, Candy…" Frankie scratched his head. "How could you do that?"

Candy immediately rushed over to her study desk in her room. She opened the bottom drawer and started digging through her books. Finally she found what she was searching for. "Maybe it won't be so hard now that I'm a little older. Maybe I can try again."

Frankie took the book from her hands and studied it: "American Sign Language?" he read the title aloud.

"I'm going to do it!" Candy nodded her head confidently. "I'll study the hardest I've ever studied and I will prove to Cat that I _do _care!"

Frankie shook his head. "If you say so, Candy…."

* * *

"Word is: The military is planning an air strike next. We're not sure when exactly, but we have men on watch on every inch of the border for signs of attack," Princess reported. "They've been ordered to sound the alarm immediately whenever they see anything. No matter how small."

"Good," Jojo replied. Her eyes fell on Princess who sat across the table from her. Princess's eyes were on the paperwork in front of her. She acted as if everything were all business, and conveyed no emotion in her voice. Jojo looked to the other villains. "I think we have everything covered for now," she announced. "Everyone should get some rest while we still have time for it."

The villains stood from their seats and began to take their exit. Princess stood and collected her papers. Before she could turn to leave, Jojo quickly flew in front of her. "We need to talk."

"About what? I gave you the defense report already."

"Not about that," Jojo replied. "And you know what."

"What?" she played dumb.

"You're really going to play this game again? You're really going to make me say it?" She rolled her eyes. "What good is mind reading if you don't use it, Princess?"

"What good is mind reading if you don't believe what I tell you when I read it?" she replied.

"Well you were obviously wrong or lying," Jojo answered. "You saw what the kid did. She defended us. She fought for us. She's clearly on our side. So… were you wrong or lying?"

"I wasn't lying," Princess said, placing her hands firmly on her hips. "And I wasn't wrong."

Jojo shook her head. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know, Jojo. You seem to have all the answers. So why don't you tell me?" Princess crossed her arms.

Jojo felt herself grow hot with anger. "_Why are you such a bitch_?" she blinked at the redheaded villain in disbelief.

"I thought that's what you liked about me?" she flipped her hair.

Jojo rolled her eyes. "Not like this," she shook her head. "Why do you hate Cat so much? Even after all this? What more does she have to do to get you to trust her? You're being unfair. And I don't like it! I don't like being in the middle of this crap!"

"Well, you are," Princess replied, trying to push past her.

"Stop it!" Jojo yelled, stepping in front of her again. "Stop acting like you don't care! I know that you do! Your problem is that you care too much over something stupid! Your problem is that you're a jealous bitch! Get over it! I love you, Princess, but I also love the kid! She's _my _kid, after all!"

Princess rolled her eyes. "_Oh please_-"

"NO!" Jojo shouted with even greater force, her hands involuntarily heating up with her death ray. "This needs to stop," she said with a growl. "It's gone on too long. It stops _now_. Do you hear me?"

Princess's eyes fell on Jojo's glowing hands. "Are you _actually _mad at me, right now?"

"_Yes_."

Princess's mouth hung open in disgust. "_Fine_," she replied simply, finally pushing past her.

Princess managed to keep her emotions disguised as she marched out of the meeting room. Once she was on the other side, she could no longer keep it inside. She threw her papers down and screamed loudly at the top of her lungs, trying to release the rage that filled her.

She breathed heavily as she continued to throw her tantrum in the hallway, falling to her knees and beginning to shred every piece of paper she had dropped. As she tore to paperwork to shreds, her eyes fell on the wall to her left. Her shadow seemed to approach her as she threw her fit.

Princess's shadow lifted from the wall and walked closer to her. It peered over her shoulder. "I think we both know now what has to be done," it whispered into her ear.

Princess nodded as she stood. "_Clearly_," she said dusting herself off and continuing down the hallway as if nothing had happened.

* * *

Cat sat in bed, reading through Mojo's old diary again. Since the TV wasn't an option, she decided that reading was the next best option and she listened to music. As she sat up in bed, reading, her eyes fell on the doorway as Princess passed it: "Hey!" she called out in her head, knowing Princess's telekinesis could hear her.

Princess stopped and stood at the doorway: "What do you want?" she said angrily. "Having a nice, relaxing day in bed, are we?"

Cat bit her tongue. Normally she would have snapped back at Princess's sarcasm without hesitation. "I just wanted to apologize," she forced herself to say in her mind. She still didn't care for Princess but she knew she had to say this to her. "I know we don't get along… but I can tell it's really stressing Jojo out lately. And you were right… I did mean to turn Jojo in… but I just wanted you to know that it's over now. I don't plan to do it anymore. I want to be a villain. I want to make Jojo proud. So… sorry for before, OK?"

Princess crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. "You think you actually have what it takes to be a villain?" she laughed a little. "How pathetic!"

Cat blinked back at her. "I just-"

"_Please_. Your battle today was nothing but a tantrum gone wrong. You don't have the Evil required to be a real villain. A real villain is calculating and intends to do what she does. You? You lost your temper. So stop acting as if what you did was intentional or brave. It wasn't."

Cat glared at Princess. "You're wrong," she shook her head. "I intended it all."

"Why do you insist on trying to kid yourself? I can see inside you, Idiot. You lost your temper. It's as simple as that. Nothing villain-worthy whatsoever."

Princess smiled deviously and turned to leave. Cat said nothing as she watched her exit. She looked down at Mojo's diary in her hands, and wrinkled her eyebrows in thought. "She's wrong," she said to herself. "I'll prove it. I'll show her what my intentions are."

Cat flipped open the diary. She had read it so many times now, she knew the exact page to turn to. She had read about Jojo's first planned attack on her sisters. Her first true plan for revenge. Mojo retold the events so proudly in his diary of how Jojo returned to her high school to murder everyone there, proving her Evil for certain.

Cat knew she would have to top that plan of Jojo's if she were to ever be taken seriously as a villain. She threw off her bed sheets and jumped to her feet, making her way over to her study desk. She took a pen and paper and began plotting.

* * *

The next morning, Jojo felt weird waking up without Princess beside her. The two had shared the same bed for over a decade now. Jojo wondered where she slept since she never came to the bedroom that night. She knew that the villain was probably pretty mad at her, but Jojo was still angry, too. She was tired of Princess's behavior when it came to Cat. Cat was only a kid, after all.

She was surprised to see Princess sitting at the dining room table that morning, as if everything were OK. Jojo took her usual seat beside her without saying anything. They were quiet for a long time, before Princess finally spoke:

"I'm sorry," she said.

Jojo blinked at her. "…Really?"

Princess nodded. She looked pained to say it: "_Yes_."

Jojo hesitated. It was never easy for her to say it: "I'm sorry, too," she muttered.

Princess kept her eyes forward, not looking at Jojo. "I have to tell you something," she confessed.

"What's that?" Jojo asked.

"I haven't…" she stopped. She didn't know how to word what she wanted to say. "I haven't felt… _well_… lately."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't… _feel _like myself."

"…What do you mean?"

Princess drummed her fingers on the table as she thought about the correct way to break the news to Jojo. "I just feel… _weak_. And I feel like I'm only growing weaker…. My mind is slipping. I think I might be losing it, Jojo. I'm trying to hold on… I really am. I'm trying to resist… but… I don't know how much longer I can do it."

Jojo frowned. Her eyes looked forward too, away from Princess. "I started seeing my dad again," she also confessed.

Princess blinked at her. "Oh no…"

"Yeah…."

Princess sighed deeply. "I think my mental situation is worse for once. In fact, I think it's much more than just hallucinations-"

Jojo stared at Princess for a moment, wondering what she meant. Her eyes then fell on Cat's empty seat. "Where is she? What time is it?" Jojo immediately stood up and made her way to the teenager's bedroom.

She opened the door and found the room to be empty. She walked inside and looked around, "Cat?" she called. She walked over to the bed, and found a note on her pillow. Jojo picked up the piece of paper and read:

"_Jojo-_

_I've gone to seek revenge. Be back before lunch._

_-Kiddo."_


	11. Chapter 11

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: Song mentioned is on my ffnet profile, as always._

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Are you going to the school dance this Friday, Buttercup?"

"No."

"Aww, why not?"

"Why would I go to something lame like that?"

"Because it's fun!"

"It's not fun."

Buttercup had not been her usual self since the day of her accident. Blossom could not remember the last time she saw her sister with a friend outside of herself and Bubbles. They were fourteen then, and it had been three years since Buttercup's horrific accident. It seemed like her sister spoke less and less; her smiles were rare and far between. When they began high school together, her depression worsened drastically. She kept her hair's bangs long and in her face, trying to hide her scars. She kept wrapped up in a hoodie and always sported a beanie pulled tightly down on her head. She was weird and awkward; but she was still Blossom's sister.

Blossom stood at the doorway of her sister's bedroom. She sighed and stepped inside. "How do you know it's not fun if you've never been to one before?"

Buttercup remained reclined on her bed. She set the magazine down she had been reading and watched her sister approach her. "And how do you know?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "You haven't been to one, either, Loser." She raised the skateboarding magazine up again, and continued reading.

Blossom smiled weakly at her sister. She sat down on the bed beside her and pushed down the magazine, so that her sister looked at her again. Buttercup glared at the redhead before forcefully lifting up the magazine again.

Blossom sighed, and plucked the article from her sister's hands.

"Hey!" Buttercup shouted.

Blossom held the magazine away from her. "I'm _trying _to talk to you!"

"I don't feel like talkin' so just get outta here already! _Jesus Christ_!" She snatched the magazine back from her.

Blossom rolled her eyes. "Fine. I won't ask you then."

The curiosity got to Buttercup. "…Ask me what?"

Blossom smiled. "Do you wanna see a movie with me tonight?"

"Who else is going?"

"No one."

Buttercup raised an eyebrow in suspicion. It was rare that Blossom went out without her little group of nerdy friends.

"_No one_," Blossom repeated. "Just me and you."

"…What would we watch?"

"I don't care. You pick."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Blossom paused. "Just nothing scary, OK?" She shuttered, remembering the time Buttercup and Bubbles convinced her to watch _The Exorcist_ with them.

Buttercup hesitated. "Just me and you?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Really."

"…OK."

It had been a long while since the last time Blossom and Buttercup spent time alone together. The atmosphere between them had grown awkward and silent through the years. Blossom couldn't help but feel a little uneasy around her quiet sister. After all, before her accident, Buttercup was anything but the quiet type. It was weird to look at this strange girl and try to remember that she was once loud, comedic, and outgoing. Blossom felt a weird duty to try to push her sister back in that direction. However, it was far from an easy task.

Still, Blossom tried. So even when they reached the theater and Buttercup managed to trick Blossom into seeing a horror film, Blossom was able to forgive her, and somehow managed to sit through the entire movie without running out of the theater in terror.

"_Hahaa!_" Buttercup laughed as they walked out of the theater that night. "You should have seen your face!" She poked at her sister.

Blossom couldn't help but smile. It was good to see her sister in a good mood, even if it was at her expense. "You told me it was a comedy!"

"_Nuh uh_," Buttercup grinned. "You asked me what it was about and all I said was it had Samuel L. Jackson in it. You _assumed _it was a comedy."

"Yeah, well, you let me _assume_!"

Buttercup smiled. "Whatever." Her eyes fell on the doors to the theater. "Ah _shit_."

Blossom stopped walking and looked outdoors as well. "I knew I should have brought an umbrella," she frowned as she stared at the rain. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder. Blossom looked to her side and saw Buttercup offering her the jacket she was previously wearing. Blossom blinked at her, in shock. She hadn't seen her sister voluntarily take off her hoodie for anyone… since… _ever_.

"You can't possibly go out in just your tank top and skirt," Buttercup said nudging the jacket at her again.

Blossom smiled and took the hoodie from her. "You sure?"

Buttercup shrugged. "It's alright. I got my hat on, after all," she tugged on her beanie.

"OK," Blossom smiled, slipping on her sister's jacket. She placed her hand on Buttercup's shoulder: "Thanks, Sis."

Buttercup slowly smiled, too. "No problem."

"_Eww, do you see her arms_?" came a gasp from behind. Blossom and Buttercup's smiles faded as they glanced behind them at a crowd of movie goers gawking at Buttercup's scars.

"_They're so ugly_!"

"_She's gross_…"

"_She's so weird_!"

"_Isn't it pathetic that her only friends are her sisters?_"

Buttercup's face immediately went pink with embarrassment, followed soon by red with anger. Blossom stared at the crowd. How could they be so cruel? Suddenly she felt her shock turn into irritation. "_What are you staring at?_" she directed at the onlookers.

Buttercup stormed outside in anger before she could watch the crowd disperse. Blossom frowned and immediately followed her. The two flew home in silence.

When they arrived home, Buttercup continued angrily to her bedroom. Blossom chased after her, but once the green-eyed Puff reached her room, she slammed the door in her sister's face. Blossom knocked and called for her sister.

"Go away!" Buttercup shouted from the other side.

Blossom stared at the door, unsure of what to do. "Buttercup, I-"

"Just _go_!"

Blossom disobeyed her sister's wishes and opened the door anyway. Buttercup was ready on the other side for this. As soon as the door cracked open, she threw her body weight against it, so it slammed shut again. Blossom fought to push the door open, but Buttercup kept herself barricading the door. "Come on, Buttercup! Open up! This is stupid!" Blossom shouted.

The green-eyed Powerpuff Girl was in tears and so she fought to keep the door closed. She didn't like her sisters to see her like this. She didn't like _anyone _to see her like this. She didn't like to seem weak. "NO!" she shouted.

Blossom stopped for a moment, and stood outside the door, keeping herself quiet. Once Buttercup no longer heard her sister pounding on the other side of the door, she relaxed and stepped away from the door. At that moment, Blossom managed to quickly push the door open and rushed inside.

As soon as Buttercup noticed the door being forced open again she rushed towards it, trying desperately to close it again. However, Blossom had her beat.

Blossom tripped over her sister and landed on top of her as she tumbled into the room. The tomboy landed on her back, knocking the wind from her. She coughed as she lay on the floor. "_What's your fucking problem?_" Buttercup groaned.

Blossom fixed her hair as she sat up, sitting on top of her sister. "What's _your _problem?"

Buttercup stared angrily at her. "_What do you think_?" she shouted. "You heard what those people said!"

"_Who cares?_" Blossom yelled back. "Honestly, Buttercup, just ignore those people!"

Buttercup immediately shoved her sister off of her. She scrambled to her feet and glared at Blossom, clenching her fists.

Blossom stood up. She felt her heart beating fiercely inside her chest. Her sister stared at her with such hatred in her eyes. As if she were the one who made those horrible comments. Blossom's expression went soft. "Just ignore them," she repeated, shaking her head.

Buttercup turned around so that her back was towards Blossom. She felt herself shaking with anger and she fought to contain it. She tore off her hat and flung it across the room. She then kicked a pile of CDs that lay at her feet, scattering them in all directions.

"Can we _not _talk about this?" Buttercup asked through gritted teeth. She stood still, as she tried to force herself to relax. Her temper had always controlled her. It was her biggest demon.

Blossom stood silent for a long time. She didn't know whether she should try to reproach her sibling or if she should leave. She chose to just keep quiet, waiting for Buttercup to calm down.

Buttercup still had her back on Blossom as she sighed deeply. "I know, alright? I shouldn't listen to what people say. I get it. Alright? This ain't the first time you tried to tell me that bullshit. But you're not the one they constantly talk about. You're not the one being stared at. You're beautiful. You're smart. You're perfect. You don't get it, Blossom. And you never will. Even if you tried, you will never understand how it feels." Buttercup walked across her room and retrieved her hat. She fixed the beanie back on her head. She looked down at her feet and saw that her green carpet was stained with droplets of blood. She looked down at her fists, and saw that she had dug her own fingernails into her flesh.

Buttercup flinches slightly as she relaxed her fingers. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply several times. She opened her eyes, and slowly began again. "I can't stand to look at you most times, you know?" she confessed as she stared blankly at the wall. "I can't stand it. More and more every day. Every day that passes when I don't hear what I-" she stopped herself. "Every day. Every _day_… I hate you a little more."

Blossom frowned. "Buttercup…." Blossom would be lying if she said Buttercup's behavior didn't frighten her a little. She watched her sister, as she stood there with her palms still dripping blood.

"Just go already," she said with her back still turned on her sister.

Blossom sighed. "Alright." Blossom turned to leave. She was almost gone, but she halted at the door. She looked over her shoulder at her sister. She hadn't given up. Not yet. "…Then I guess I won't ask you then."

Buttercup finally turned around to look at Blossom. "…Ask me what?" When she turned around, the redhead had pulled two small tickets from her jean skirt's back pocket and held them in her hands. "What's that?" Buttercup blinked at what she held.

"I know you think it's lame," Blossom smiled softly. "And I meant to ask you after the movie."

Buttercup gaped at her sister, realizing what the tickets were for.

Blossom just smiled. "What do you say?"

"…I don't think so, Red."

"Why not? I promise: It'll be fun. Just me and you?"

"_You_? Take _me_? To the school dance?" Buttercup couldn't help but laugh. It had to be a joke. At first the surprise seemed serious. But it couldn't be. It had to be a prank.

"What? What's so funny?" Blossom frowned.

Buttercup stopped laughing. She thought it had to be a joke, but seeing her sister frowning like that meant that she was sincere. "You're actually serious?" Buttercup blinked at her.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she crossed her arms, slightly insulted by Buttercup's fit of laughter.

Buttercup's smile faded as she stared at the tickets. To her, the tickets signified much more than an invitation to some stupid school dance. She blinked dumbly at the small pieces of paper, debating her options. Finally, she closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She shook her head in disbelief with herself. "_Alright_," she agreed with a slight groan.

Blossom rushed over to Buttercup and threw her arms around her in a tight embrace. "You'll have a great time! I know it!"

Buttercup choked under her sister's grasp. "Yeah… _loads _of fun…" she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

* * *

Blossom smiled at Candy as she modeled her dress for her. "It's very pretty," Blossom complemented.

"You really think so?" Candy grinned.

"Definitely."

Candy squealed with delight and she spun around in front of the mirror one last time. "I was going to pick the blue one at first, but… well, orange has always been my color, you know!" Candy giggled. "I'm so excited for this Friday! The dance is going to be awesome!"

"I'm sure you and Frankie will have a great time," Blossom smiled. Her eyes fell on her daughter's desk and saw a large book open there. She glanced at the pages and could see diagrams of hands, signing the alphabet in American Sign Language. Blossom frowned a little and looked away from the book.

She was definitely concerned about Candy. The girl seemed to have a naïve idea that Cat would return home soon. Blossom didn't have the heart to tell her daughter that the idea was an unlikely one. Instead, she just reassured her that no matter what happened… they would all be OK.

"Did you go to your school dances, Mom?" Candy asked as she unzipped herself from her dress.

"Just one," Blossom answered.

"Oh yeah?" Candy giggled. "_Omigosh_!" she gasped. "Did you go with anybody?"

Blossom shook her head. "No. I was supposed to… but they never showed."

Candy gasped. "How mean!"

Blossom nodded. "It was." Blossom stood from where she sat on her daughter's bed. "I'm sure you'll have a great time, Sweetie," she said again, before kissing her daughter's forehead, and leaving.

* * *

Cat carefully closed her door behind her, so that she was sure not to make a sound as she snuck down the hallway that morning. Jojo's bedroom was just across from her own, so she wanted to be sure to be extra quiet.

Cat quickly flew out of City Hall and made her way down the street to the next biggest building in the city- the Weaponry Warehouse. When she entered the facility, she found the Gangreen Gang on duty, as they were supposed to be 24/7.

"Hey it's the kid!" Ace shouted, waking the rest of the members from their slumber.

Cat smiled and waved at them. She always found the group of green-skinned guys to be comical. She walked up to the desk that Ace sat at and laid down a piece of paper.

Ace took it, lifted his dark sunglasses, and read: "I need to make fire. What do you got?"

Ace grinned big. "Fire, huh? Oh, I got lots of that, Kid!" he said with a cackle. "Boys!" he called over his shoulder at the rest of his gang. "Get her the works!"

* * *

"Name?" The woman at the desk only glanced at who stood before her while she typed on her computer. After she didn't hear an answer from the student, she looked up again. "Did you hear me, Dear? What's your _name_?" she repeated. She stared at the teenager on the other side of her desk.

It was Cat, only the woman did not recognize it to be her. Cat had combed and styled her hair in a way so that her bangs swooped down low, and long across the right side of her face, successfully covering her scars. She didn't wear her usual villainous uniform but just a simple t-shirt, jeans, and oversized backpack. She wore her headphones around her ears, and had her music playing on full blast as she drummed her fingers to the beat of the music, pretending to ignore the school secretary. She planned this, too, of course. It would only blow her cover if school officials suddenly realized that she were mute.

The secretary rolled her eyes, assuming Cat to be just another annoying teenager who had her music playing too loud to hear. She took the note that Cat held in her hand.

"_Please excuse my daughter, Alice Byrne, for being late today. She had to visit her grandmother who is very sick. -Mrs. Byrne_."

"Alright, Alice," the secretary stood from her desk. "Let me get you a tardy slip."

Cat watched and waited for the pudgy woman to disappear. As soon as she was out of sight, Cat hopped over to the other side of the desk, and surveyed the rest of the offices. She had to time this perfectly. She needed to make sure she took care of all the adults in the administrative offices just right. She had to make certain that none of them had the chance to warn anyone inside of the school of her attack.

Cat devised the best route and took it. She used her super speed to fly from office to office, quickly and quietly, punching each faculty member out cold, before they even know what hit them- Principal, Assistant Principal, Counselors 1,2, and 3.

Cat was able to return to the front of the administrative office before the secretary returned. Once the woman returned, she failed to notice anything wrong around her. "Alice, did your mom misspell your name? I can't find any record of any 'Byrne' at this school-" the woman stopped when she noticed the teenager hovering in front of her. Before she could scream, Cat hit her over the head with her heavy backpack, causing her to fall to the ground unconscious.

Cat stepped over the woman and continued back to the Principal's office. She sat at his desk and opened her backpack, retrieving a large explosive device. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Good," she thought to herself, "Still on time."

It was 8:26 AM. Ace had helped Cat program this bomb, as well as many others, to go off at exactly 8:34 AM. The other bombs were already in place, carefully set in the heating vents of every class room in the school building. Cat snuck into the school before anyone had arrived and made sure of this.

Cat's goal was to watch the school burst into flames just as Leticia's home burst into flames. She wanted to see Cherry's boyfriend, Stephen, crushed by falling debris just like Leticia was. He needed to be crushed and he needed to burn alive. Cat was sure of this.

There was just one more bomb to place. Cat hovered up towards the vent above the office she was in and slid the device in place. She then returned to her backpack and took out a small boom box she brought.

Her plan was to lure her sisters out their classrooms. She didn't want them in the building while it was demolished. They needed a good view to watch it all. However it would be difficult to call her sisters out without having the ability to speak or yell. So she would use the boom box.

Cat lowered her headphones as she set up the stereo. She fixed it so that it sat by the school's intercom system. She glanced at the clock on the wall. 8:29 PM. It was just one more minute until it was time for Cat to press "play" on the first track and activate the school's intercom.

"Burning Down the House" was exactly four minutes long, and at 8:30 AM, Cat would press play. Cat was not only using the song to call for her sisters to face her, but also as a way to keep track of time. She would need to get both of her sisters out of the building before this one song ended.

* * *

Cherry sat in her first period English Class, listening to her classmates read their daily text aloud. She followed along in her book, obediently. Her eyes fell to her right and saw her boyfriend, Stephen, smiling at her. Cherry blushed and returned her eyes to her text.

At that moment, there was a long buzz as the school's intercom was activated. Everyone in the class looked up to the speaker on the wall, waiting for whatever announcement was to come. Instead of hearing their school principal speak, a low drumming and guitar began to play.

The class erupted in gossip and laughter. However, as the singer began to sing: Cherry recognized the song, as the man shouted:

"_Watch out! _

_You might get what you're after! _

_Cool babies! _

_Strange but not a stranger!_

_I'm an or-di-nar-y guy!_

_Burning down the house!_"

Cherry immediately stood from her seat. She turned around and looked at her sister Candy who sat there with wide eyes, also recognizing the singer's voice. It was Cat's favorite band. She had loved it since she were about twelve. There was no mistaking it.

Cherry grabbed Candy by her hand, and began to lead her outside. "Everyone stay in the classroom!" she shouted as they left.

As they exited the classroom, they immediately halted in their steps. Down the hall way, they could see her. Her back was turned towards them, but there was no doubt that it was her. The way she stood, with her arms firmly on her hips. She was waiting for them.

_Hold tight!_

_Wait till the party's over!_

_Hold tight!_

_We're in for nasty weather!_

_There has got to be a way!_

_Burning down the house!_

"Cat!" Candy shouted. She couldn't help but smile when she saw her sister. "Have you come to go home with us now?" she asked, hopefully.

Cat couldn't help but laugh silently at this. She turned and faced her sisters. "I love this song," she grinned deviously as she signed.

_Here's your ticket!_

_Pack your bags!_

_Time for jumpin' overboard!_

_Transportation is here!_

Cherry shook her head. "Just what are you up to, Cat?"

Cat blinked at her. "What?" she played dumb. "_That's three more minutes_…" she thought to herself.

_Close enough,_

_But not too far!_

_Maybe you know where you are!_

_Fightin' fire with fire!_

"I can't pay my sisters a friendly visit?" Cat signed with a frown.

Cherry continued to glare at her. She knew she was up to something.

"Besides," Cat continued to sign. "I've come to ask you something, Cherry."

_All wet!_

_Hey! You might need a raincoat!_

_Shakedown!_

_Dreams walking in broad daylight!_

_Three hun-dred six-ty five de-grees!_

_Burning down the house!_

"_Two and a half more minutes_…" Cat said to herself in her mind. Cat slowly approached her sister. She smiled at her, but Cherry only stared with suspicion. Cat glanced to her right to a poster that hung on the wall.

Candy picked up on what Cat was signaling to. She gasped with foolish excitement. "Omigosh!" she squealed. "The school dance! Cat, you should totally go!"

Cat ignored Candy's rambling. "So, Cherry? What do you say? Will you go with me?" she signed.

_It was once upon a place!_

_Sometimes I listen to myself!_

_Gonna come in first place!_

Cherry's anger only built up inside of her. "I already have a date," she said simply.

Cat slowly nodded. "Oh yeah… Stephen, right?" she cocked her head to one side and crossed her arms.

_People on their way to work!_

_Said: "Baby what did you expect?"_

_Gonna burst into flame!_

"Yes," Cherry's eyes narrowed even more.

_Burning down the house!_

"_That's less than two minutes now. Better step it up._" Cat thought. "Something tells me…" Cat began to sign again as she walked closer to her sister. "…he's not going to make it."

Cat continued past her sister, as if she were sprinting towards Stephen's classroom. But in actuality, Cat did not know where the boy's class was. Still, Cherry reacted out of panic and quickly chased after Cat, assuming that she was planning the worst. Cat had a feeling that she would.

Cherry yanked on Cat's arm and pulled her back, quickly trying to force her villainous sibling into a chokehold. Cat managed to squirm out from her sister's grasp and quickly turned around to punch her. Cherry caught her fist, but missed the second punch Cat served.

The blow hit Cherry directly in her jaw, which caused her to slide backwards across the empty hallway by several feet. Cherry swallowed the blood that filled her mouth as a result, and charged at her sister.

The two continued to fight as the music continued through the intercom:

_My house!_

_Is out of the ordinary!_

_That's right!_

_Don't want to hurt nobody!_

_Some things can sure sweep me off my feet!_

_Burning down the house!_

It was less than a minute and half now until the explosives detonated. Cat's head hit the floor hard, causing the tile to crack beneath her, as Cherry pinned her to the ground. "_You stay away from him_!" she threatened through gritted teeth.

Candy stared in disbelief as she watched Cherry's grasp tighten more and more around Cat's neck. Cat couldn't help but laugh silently as she was being strangled. It was funny to see her sister so protective over the boy. She didn't know why. She just found it funny.

Cat's laughter only angered Cherry even more and she tightened her fingers around her sibling's neck.

Cat pried at her sister's fingers, to try and loosen her grip, but the hero had more than a good hold on her. Finally Cat managed to elbow her sister in the throat. Cherry coughed, and Cat pushed her off of her.

_No visible means of support!_

_And you have not seen nothing yet!_

_Everything's stuck together!_

Cat rose to her feet and grinned evilly at Cherry. "Just try and stop me."

_I don't know what you expect!_

_Staring into the TV set!_

_Fightin' fire with fire!_

This was it. The last of the song's lyrics. Now it was just a minute until the song completely faded.

Cherry was determined to stop Cat. She quickly stood up from where she lay on the ground and charged at her sister with full force.

In a flash of yellow and red light, Cherry managed to tackle Cat with such force that they burst through the opposite wall, landing outdoors.

"Perfect," Cat thought as she continued to rise and initiate a chase that would lead herself and her sisters further from the building.

Cat darted up into the sky, and Cherry followed without hesitation, with Candy trailing behind.

Cherry managed to catch up to Cat, and grabbed her by her ankle as she flew, yanking her forcefully from the air. Cat kicked at her, but missed. Cherry continued to yank Cat towards her, and grabbed her sister by the collar, throwing a forceful punch to the face.

Cat ducked just as Cherry swung, and darted backwards, leading her sister further from the school as she continued to swing at her blindly.

Candy circled her siblings, begging for them to stop. She finally managed to wedge herself between them. "Cut it out!" she shouted.

Cat threw her hands up as if giving up, and backed away a little: "OK! OK!" she signed. "You win."

Cherry stared at Cat, trying to understand her sister's hidden scheme. She knew there had to be one. "Just what are you up to?" she blinked at Cat.

Cat only smiled. Her eyes drifted towards the school.

Cherry's eyes widened. She realized then, that she had fallen into her sister's trap. Cat had managed to get under her skin, and Cherry lost sight of all precautions and better instincts. Cat intended for them to be outdoors. Of course she did.

Cherry quickly turned around. But before she could fly more than two feet, it happened.

_BOOM!_

Cherry and Candy both stared in horror as they watched the school building become engulfed in flames as it caved in on itself. As it collapsed, Cherry only stared at the destruction for a fraction of a second before quickly flying towards the gruesome sight, determined to somehow still save the day.

Candy stayed behind, frozen in shock. She was completely still, jaw dropped, as her eyes immediately over flooded with tears. It was sixty-three seconds before she remembered to breathe again. Candy gasped for air and screamed at the same time.

Slowly, the girl descended to the ground as she fell to her knees and watched her red sister disappear into the fire. Her fingers pulled at her own pigtails, as she shook her head in utter disbelief. She had never witnessed a sight so unreal before. She had to be dreaming. This had to be a nightmare.

Again, she remembered to breathe, as she made her second gasp for air, finally beginning to cry out loud: "_No, no, no, no, no!_" she screamed as she shook her head. She closed her eyes tightly. She opened them, hoping that what she saw was finally gone.

But the fire only burned brighter. Candy screamed again as she wailed even louder. As she screamed, suddenly the sky darkened.

The sky went from a calm, baby blue, to a very dark, sinister gray. The white clouds were now pitch black. The sky lit up with lightning and the earth below shook from the loud booming thunder. The entire city of Neighborfield was immediately drenched in rain.

Slowly, the rain began to put out the fire. All that was left behind now was obscure metal framing of what used to be a building, and black smoke.

Cherry reached her school in a matter of seconds. She stood several feet away from the flames, seeing that every wall of the building was now merely piles of cement and bricks. Cherry searched for any possible opening, where the fires weren't as strong, so that she could attempt to get to the people inside… but there weren't any. The fire was everywhere.

Before Cherry could foolishly rush into the flames-which she was willing and prepared to do- suddenly the fires began to diminish as the sky filled with rain. Cherry peered over her shoulder and saw Candy in the distance. This must have been her doing.

As soon as the flames began to die, Cherry immediately began to search through the rubble. As she overturned the first, biggest slab of cement, she couldn't help but fall backwards in terror. She only saw a peek of black, rotting flesh. But the horrible smell and sight of it, was enough to make her stomach churn, and she couldn't help but vomit.

Cherry wiped her mouth and hesitated. Could she really face this nightmare? She had to, and she was determined. What if-somehow-someone was OK? What if Stephen was OK? Cherry forced herself to stomach the melted, lifeless bodies of her classmates and teachers. She couldn't recognize any of them. They were burnt and bloody and pulverized beyond identification. She threw away piece of large debris after debris, searching endlessly. She paused, trying to take the time to check the pulse of every body she found. She listened for any heartbeat, and she watched for any breath. But there weren't any.

Finally, after a hundred bodies, she was consumed by the madness that surrounded her. She buried her face in her hands and cried. She sat in the middle of the disaster, as the black smoke thickened around her. She choked in the smoke, but couldn't bring herself to leave this place. After several minutes of hysterical crying, she tried her best to pull herself together so that she could continue her search.

Cherry could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance as paramedics, firefighters, and policemen approached the scene. She was frantic as she pushed forward, pulling out more and more dead persons. Soon, there were rescuers beside her, doing the same. But the results were unchanging: Every soul was gone, and every face was melted and bruised beyond recognition.

* * *

Cat hovered above the scene, watching her sisters below. She was only several feet off the ground, floating between the two. Candy was to her left, still crying and causing the rain to pour harder and harder. Cherry was losing her mind to her right as she dug through piles of dead bodies.

Cat could feel this unknown thing swelling up inside of her. She closed her eyes and let it consume her.

What was it?

It was a tingling feeling, and it slowly radiated throughout her. It was strange and confusing… but ultimately satisfying. But as satisfaction grew within her… so did discontent.

She felt- at last- fulfilled, yet when she opened her eyes again and her sight fell on the demolished building, she felt concerned…. Sort of… sad. It was as if she had just experienced the greatest feeling of relief, coupled with the strongest feeling of regret. A weight had been lifted from her, and she felt free. But simultaneously… another force fell upon her, and she felt weakened.

She was both light, and heavy. She was both trapped, but flowing. Victorious, but defeated. She had accomplished something big, but now faced something bigger. She had done what she set out to do… but what came next?

"What comes next?" she asked herself.

She watched as a dozen ambulances, fire trucks and police cars stormed onto the scene. It all happened in slow motion. It was surreal.

Cat began to ascend into the air, as she slowly backed away from the disaster.

Relief and regret.

_Relief_. Because she had accomplished her mission. Because she had given her sister a taste of her own medicine. Stephen burned alive and was then crushed. Stephen was surely dead. Eventually-if not already- Cherry would have to hold the mangled body of her loved one in her arms, just as Cat had to do with Leticia. It is exactly what she wanted. Also: She had proven that she had the Evil necessary to be a true villain. She plotted, calculated and carried out her plan. She successfully murdered, and intended to do it. She was merciless. She proved herself, and therefore accomplished everything she desired.

_Regret_. Because it was over. Because she completed this level in villainy. So what came next? She knew how the story went. She read it all in the little black diary many times now. She had managed to take that step onto that same path as her villainous caretaker. Had she ventured too far to ever turn back now? The next step was to defeat her sisters. This is what was written. However, was this even possible for her? Could she actually do it? …Did she even have a choice? If she hadn't done what she just did… it was quite possible that she would never have to face this next chapter. But it was done. And now that this was completed… standing still was not an option. By making this one, conscious move, she had chosen her path. As a result: what was just seemingly right behind her now seemed distant and fading.

Cat battled with her emotions, as she flew back towards Townsville, but found no peace within herself.

Relief and regret.

"So," she thought to herself, "This is what revenge feels like."


	12. Chapter 12

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: According to my outline, this story will be 16 chapters long. I'm about 99 percent certain that number will not change. Pretty much the remaining 1 percent of doubt is whether or not I want to just combine the last two chapters and make it 15. I will let you guys know if that happens. But for now, expect "the end" at chapter 16. Thanks again for reading!_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Jojo and the other villains eagerly greeted Cat as she entered City Hall, returning from Neighborfield. Cat was shocked to see everyone gathered and waiting. For once, the elegant, calamander wood table in City Hall's grand dining room was filled with people. It was a celebration on Cat's behalf. There was no more doubt in any villain's mind now that Cat was one of them.

As Cat entered the room and had lines of villains, crooks and criminals waiting to congratulate her, her previous hesitations over what she had just done completely disappeared. She felt at home as everyone shook her hand and applauded her. Cat could see Jojo in the back of the crowd of cons, standing beside Princess. The lead villain had a giant grin on her face as she watched Cat being repeatedly patted on the back by everyone.

"I have to go," Princess said quietly to Jojo as she stood beside her.

Jojo turned and looked at Princess. "What? Why?"

Princess shook her head. "I just need to lie down, I think." She touched her forehead slightly and began to make her way through the crowd.

As Princes pushed past everyone, she could hear that wicked voice in her head as she taunted herself meanly: "_Told you so! Told you so! Told you so!_" She began to feel faint as the laughter increased.

Cat noticed Princess's odd behavior as she passed by her. Princess only glanced at the teenager for a second's time, but the strange look in the villainess's eyes could not go unnoticed by Cat. She glanced over to Jojo and saw the same look of concern on her face as she watched Princess disappear down the hallway.

Cat eventually made it past the mob of crooks and approached Jojo. "Well, well," Jojo smiled at Cat as she came closer. "You've become quite the villain, haven't you, Kiddo?"

Cat returned the smile. "I guess so," she signed as she stood in front of the villain. "Sorry for not telling you."

"Sorry?" Jojo laughed. "I'm proud of you, Kid!" she slapped her hand on the teenager's back. "Ace over there, showed me those plans of yours… that's some pretty smart stuff. I didn't know you had it in you, Kiddo!"

Cat only smiled.

"Come on. Let's eat!" Jojo signaled for Cat to take a seat at the head of the table. Cat stared at the seat with a shocked look as the other villains all took their own seats.

Cat blinked at Jojo as she held the chair out for her. "But… that's your place," Cat signed.

Jojo only laughed. "Not today, Kiddo."

A giant grin swept the teenager's face as she sat down at the head of the table. She never felt so important and powerful before. Jojo took the seat beside Cat, where Cat normally would have sat. Cat silently watched as everyone carried on conversations with each other over their meals. Everyone was so happy and excited over today's events.

Cat's eyes eventually fell on Jojo, as Ace of the Gangreen Gang began to retell how Cat came to him that morning and shared her villainous plan with him and the Gang. Jojo had remained fairly quiet throughout the meal. When Cat finally looked to her, she noticed that Jojo was staring at her with an odd expression. She wore a very relaxed smile as she looked at Cat. Her eyes conveyed that she was thinking very deeply about something as she looked at her. "What is it?" Cat signed.

Jojo paused before she signed to Cat: "It's unreal, isn't it?"

"What is?" Cat signed.

Jojo tilted her head to one side, signaling at the length of the table. "Sitting there," she signed.

Cat's eyes traveled up and down the table for a moment. "Yes," she confessed. "It is."

Jojo smiled. She lifted her hands to sign something else but hesitated. Cat noticed Jojo's smile slowly fading as her hands remained paused in the air.

Cat raised an eyebrow. "What?" she signed with concern.

Jojo signed slowly: "I have to tell you something, Kiddo." She paused. "I should have told you this… a long time ago."

"What is it?" Cat asked with a curious expression.

"Now, try not to be mad at me, OK?" Jojo signed. "I was hoping you'd figure it out on your own, but… well, I guess I can't put it off any longer… or shouldn't anyway."

"OK…. What is it?" Cat smiled weakly at the villain's obvious nervousness.

Jojo returned a small smile at the teenager. She lifted her hands and held them there for a while before finally signing very abruptly: "I'm your mom, Cat."

Cat blinked dumbly at the villain for a long time. "…What?" she signed, thinking she must have misread what the villain signed to her.

At that moment, Ace's story was completed, and the villains broke out into loud cheering. The Gangreen Gang had risen from their seats and all stood behind Cat. Big Billy grabbed her chair, and lifted the teenager above his head, as the rest of the Gang danced around them.

As they chanted Cat's name over and over again, and paraded her around the room, Cat forced the confusion from her mind for the time being, and tried her best to smile at the villains who cheered for her.

* * *

Cherry sat in the dark of her room, trying her best to relax and forget. After the horrific ordeal at school, she had literally screamed herself to the point of passing out. She must have looked like a maniac to everyone arriving on the scene. But could they really blame her?

When she awoke, she was in her bed at home. She hadn't seen her sister or mother since then. But she didn't really feel like facing them just yet. They would want to talk about it, and Cherry did _not _want to talk about it.

Cherry eventually climbed off of her bed and made her way to her top dresser drawer, retrieving the Northern Lights that she had previously been saving for the week of midterms. The stress of testing time was always a little easier for herself and Stephen when they had a little medicine. Normally, she wouldn't dare light up in the house while her mother was home. But right then… she really didn't care about much of anything, except for some sort of remedy to this numbness and nausea.

As she released her first hit, from her small, lollipop swirled glass pipe, she heard a knock on her door. She let the smoke dissipate before answering: "Who is it?"

"It's me… are you awake now?" came Candy's voice on the other side.

"Yeah, I guess so," Cherry answered as she took her second hit.

Candy entered the room. She immediately shut the door quickly behind when she saw her sister smoking pot. "Omigosh!" she exclaimed. "What if I was Mom?"

"Yeah, well, you're not. So relax." Cherry watched her sister as she sat beside he on her bed. The brunette was clearly a wreck. She only had one pigtail left on her head, and the other was a tangled and destroyed mess. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her cheeks were stained with bleeding mascara. Cherry frowned at her. "Candy…"

The girl immediately erupted into tears. She tried her best to contain it. She knew how her crying could annoy everyone around her, but she just couldn't help it. She flung her arms around her sister and clung to her tightly as she cried.

Cherry set aside her things and held her sister. "I know…" she said softly. Cherry managed to keep herself from crying, too. She had to remain strong for her sister. Her crying would only worsen Candy's crying. Thankfully the hybrid goodness could help balance those emotions out, and keep her steady.

"She… she… killed them! She k-killed everyone! She k-killed F-Frank-ie and and and-"

Cherry interrupted her sister immediately: "_Don't_."

Candy wailed louder. Cherry cringed under the sound of her painful cries. "Don't talk about it, OK? We can't. Not right now, OK?"

"I'm sorry…" Candy sniffed. "I just… I can't believe it happened. I can't believe she would do that. I can't believe our sister-"

"_Don't_," Cherry repeated. "Just _stop_."

"Sorry…."

The two reclined on Cherry's bed in silence for a long time. Each of their minds raced with the repeated memories of what just happened. They both tried desperately not to think of it, but there was no escaping it.

"Cherry?" Candy finally squeaked.

"What?"

"…Do you think she is going to try to kill us next?"

Cherry sighed. "I don't know, Candy. I have no idea."

Candy's mind became flooded with possibilities. She weighed the different scenarios before declaring: "I don't think she will." Candy sat up and looked at her sister who lay beside her. "I don't think she wants to," she phrased more specifically.

Cherry stared at Candy. "What makes you so certain?"

"Because I have to be," Candy responded simply with a firm nod. She rubbed her swollen, red eyes, wiping away what tears had remained there. "I have to believe that the least that can come of all this is… we get our sister back."

Cherry shook her head. "No, Candy. _Don't_."

"We have to believe, Cherry! We have to!"

"_Don't._"

"If we don't believe then what good is it? How could this turn out to be anything but all bad otherwise? Without hope… what do we have left?"

"It _is _all bad, Candy." Cherry sat up and gave her sister a serious look. "Cat is _gone_, Candy. She isn't our sister anymore. She's become some… monster. She's a villain now. There is no hope left. How can you not see that after today?"

"She'll always be our sister, Cherry," Candy frowned. "No matter what. We're always sisters. And sisters… they're best friends for life."

Cherry shook her head, unconvinced. "Candy… just… _stop_."

"_No_," Candy crossed her arms firmly. She hopped off from Cherry's bed and began to make her way to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To study," Candy answered as she left the room, referring to her recent obsession with studying American Sign Language.

Cherry fell backwards on her bed as soon as Candy closed the door behind her. She stared up at the ceiling from where she lay on her bed and shook her head: "_Unbelievable_."

* * *

Cat waited patiently for the last of the villains to exit the dining room and return to their daily duties. Jojo sat at the table, going over some facts and figures with Sedusa. Cat stood in the corner, unnoticed, waiting for the seductive villain to leave. When she finally did, Cat approached Jojo from behind.

Jojo felt a small tap on her shoulder from where she still sat at the table and turned around, to see Cat. The teenager wore a very serious and concerned expression. She lowered her headphones from her head and looped them around her neck. "What did you say earlier?" she signed.

Jojo looked uneasy. She pushed out her seat and turned in her chair to face the young villain. "Hey," she said with a faint smile, trying to change the subject, "Do you think you can help me out tomorrow with something important?"

Cat's eyes narrowed in annoyance. She ignored her question and repeated: "What did you say?" she signed.

Jojo stood from her chair, and began collecting the papers from the table. "You see, we need to go to visit the mayor of Neighborfield. We-"

Jojo was interrupted by Cat who tore the papers from her hands and threw them forcefully into the air. Jojo blinked at the teenager who stood there, tense with anger. Cat's body physically heaved up and down with angry breaths.

Out of frustration, Cat tore off her headphones and flung them across the room, illustrating just how angry Jojo's lack of respect to her question was. "What did you say?" she demanded with angry fingers. "It looked like you said that you were my mom! Is that what you said? _Is that what you said? _ _Is that_-"

Jojo held up her hand, signaling for the girl to calm down. "_Yes_," she said aloud.

Cat stared at the villain with wide eyes. She still felt angry. She shook her head in both disbelief and disgust: "You're joking."

Jojo shook her head. "No."

Cat could hear herself screaming in her mind due to frustration and confusion. She winced under the power, but managed to bury it. She stared at Jojo: "How is that possible?"

Jojo stared back at the kid for a while. She knew that Cat was upset with her, and she guessed that she should have expected her to be. "You know the story, Kiddo. Mojo Jojo added the Chemical X to Professor Utonium's concoction, and that made me. He was my dad." She paused for a moment. "And I added the Chemical X to Blossom's formula. And that made you." She threw up her hands, as if defeated. "You're my kid, Kiddo."

Cat could feel her chest begin to ache. She still wasn't sure whether or not to believe Jojo. Yes, she had been told many times about the theoretical connection Jojo and Mojo Jojo shared. She had read about it, too, many times in Mojo's diary. She guessed that the theory could be true. After all, everyone agreed that Jojo took after Mojo very much. But she never expected the same to be true for her. She never expected this news. _Never_.

"I have to go," Cat finally declared, shaking her head in disbelief as she began to back away from the villain.

Jojo stepped towards her: "Now, _wait_!" she shouted. "You can't be mad at me, Kiddo!"

Cat whipped around and faced her again with an angry face. "I can't be mad?" she signed. "You knew this the whole time! You knew this and you didn't tell me?" Forget about whether the relationship theory were true. The most important fact to Cat was that Jojo had lied to her. Jojo was there at her time of creation. How could she not share this with her?

"You lied to me!" she signed angrily. "You _lied_!" she pulled her hair in frustration and stomped her feet angrily, trying to keep herself from losing control. She spun around in a moment of indecisiveness- unsure of whether she should just leave, stay, or punch Jojo in the face. She retrieved her headphones from the ground and fixed them around her ears. The music helped her calm down a little but not much. She faced the villain again. "_You_," she signed, pausing before every word so that Jojo understood her gravity: "_Are. Just. Like. Blossom_."

Jojo's jaw dropped at the accusation. Never before had Cat been so angry with her. She stood still in shock as she watched the teenager march angrily out of the room.

"I told you not to tell her, didn't I?" entered the voice of Mojo's ghost. He now sat at the empty table behind Jojo. "Did I not tell you that you should have let her come to this realization on her own? Did I not advise this to you? She should have figured this one out on her own. She should have-"

"Yeah, well, _that's _why she's mad," Jojo interrupted the hallucination without turning to face him. "She's mad because I hadn't told her till today. How much angrier would she have been if I waited another three years?"

"You could have been honest with her without keeping secrets from her. You could have told her that you were there at the time of her creation. You could have confessed your actions, the role you played, and the end result of this. All you had to do was let her connect the dots. However, you gave her nothing. Absolutely _nothing _to think-ponder-contemplate- theorize over. And just now… you throw everything at her at once and expect her to believe and accept it with open arms? _Impossible_."

Jojo turned around but found Mojo to be gone.

* * *

Cat sat on her bed, staring at the wall, and tried to let the calm lyrics of her music persuade her into relaxation. She had her music on at it's highest volume setting. She did this whenever she was sick of her surroundings. After all, the world couldn't hear her, so why was it necessary for her to hear them?

Jojo stood outside the door, knocking endlessly. She called out for Cat, but her attempts went unnoticed. "God dammit…" Jojo muttered to herself as she contemplated whether or not she should enter Cat's room without invitation. She inhaled deeply before taking the plunge into her daughter's room.

Cat's back was toward her as she entered the room. "Cat," she called out again, closing the door behind her, but again, Cat did not respond.

The young villain had her eyes closed as she let the music fill her. She ignored everything else around her, including Jojo, as she sat down beside her on her bed.

"_Cat_," Jojo tried again. She sighed and placed her hand on Cat's shoulder. At her touch, Cat finally opened her eyes. She barely glanced at the villain before closing her eyes again, and then continued to ignore her.

Jojo groaned in frustration. "Come on, _Kiddo_!" she threw up her hands. She paused for a moment as she tried to think of what to do. She reached over to the teenager and yanked lightly on her headphones so that she redirected her head so that it faced her. As her head turned, Cat opened her eyes to shoot Jojo an angry stare.

"I'm sorry, OK?" Jojo signed. "I know that I suck for not telling you sooner. I get it, OK? But I'm trying to tell you about it now. Doesn't that count for anything?"

Cat's glare lessened by about two percent. Not much, but Jojo was willing to take it. At least she had the teen's attention now.

"I swear to you that this is the only thing I've ever kept hidden from you," she continued to sign. "I _swear_," she repeated. "I just… I didn't want to scare you away from me, Kiddo," she frowned. "How would you have reacted at thirteen years old, a fresh runaway, and being told by some lunatic villain- who you've been taught to fear, by the way!- that she's your creator just as much as your own mother?"

Cat's glare finally disappeared, but she still frowned. "Maybe…" she hesitantly signed.

Jojo tried to smile, she lifted her hands to continue signing something else. At that moment, the alarm sounded throughout City Hall, and the room became instantly illuminated in a red glow. Jojo and Cat both jumped to their feet. "It's that fucking air strike!" Jojo yelled as she rushed out the door. "_Where are they_?" she demanded the answer from everyone as she emerged from the room.

"They're just approaching the city now!"

"They're closing in fast!"

"What do we do?"

"Leave it to me," Jojo answered everyone through gritted teeth as she passed them all.

Jojo rushed into action. As she flew above City Hall, she was surprised to see Cat, fully dressed in her villainous uniform beside her. "What do we do?" the younger villain asked as they hovered in the air, watching the line of jets approach from both the west and east side, simultaneously.

Jojo was taken aback by the sight of Cat's willingness. She smiled a little, feeling a great sense of pride for the kid. "We kill 'em!" Jojo shouted over the loudness of the approaching aircrafts.

Cat nodded as she faced the east, and Jojo faced the west. Each villain prepared herself as they stood back to back. Jojo clenched her fists tightly and focused all her negative energy into her fiery fists, as her death ray charged quickly. Cat crossed her arms and closed her eyes, focusing her own power, and letting the negative noise consume her.

"Ready, Kiddo?" Jojo called out as the jets drew nearer.

Cat nodded firmly as she opened her eyes once again, targeting the enemy.

"_Now_!" Jojo shouted.

And with that, the evening sky lit up in a sinister green light, as Jojo's death ray plowed through the enemy. Upon impact, the jets shattered into millions of pieces as the pilots fell lifelessly from the sky.

Cat's sound blast penetrated the enemy. The aircrafts imploded under the sheer weight of the noise, and then spun out of control as the pilots inside perished due to instant insanity.

From her bedroom window, Princess could see the two villains hover in the green-lit sky as they defeated their enemy. She watched as the two smiled and exchanged high-fives. Jojo wrapped her arm around the teenager and brought her into a close, proud embrace. The kid grinned big as she signed something eagerly to the villain, which caused her to laugh.

Princess's eyes lit up with fire upon this sight. She shut the window's blinds and returned to her vanity mirror. She returned to the mundane task of brushing her hair, which she had been practicing pointlessly for the last several hours. As she stared at her reflection, she could see that she, herself, was no longer there.

It was only Him.

* * *

"Is this right, Mom?" Candy asked, holding her fingers in place nervously.

"Yep," Blossom smiled. "That's how you do it. Now just bring your right hand down to your left, and when they touch, make a 'G.'"

"What's 'G' again?" Candy blinked.

"Like this," Blossom illustrated, pinching her fingers together to form the letter in American Sign Language.

Candy took a deep breath, as if attempting the most daring thing ever. She brought her right fingers to her lips again and brought them down, repeating the motion once again. "Sister," she said as she signed. She paused after signing the word and looked to Blossom for approval.

Blossom nodded. "That's right. Good."

Candy grinned big. "I did it!"

Blossom smiled as the girl continued to practice the word repeatedly. As she left her daughter's bedroom, she closed the door behind her. Once in the hallway of her home, she saw her other daughter waiting there for her.

"What's the point?" Cherry asked with crossed arms and an angry stare. "Why are you helping her with this? You know there's no use for it, Mom."

Blossom stared at her redheaded daughter. "Cherry, I know you're hurt right now, but if it makes your sister forget her own pain-"

"You're just re-enforcing her idiotic dream that Cat will come back!" Cherry shouted. Her eyes involuntarily filled with tears.

"Maybe she will," Blossom shrugged.

Cherry rolled her eyes, trying her best to bury her emotions again. "_Mom_," she said with a low voice. "You know that's not true. You told us yourself what happened to Buttercup. She's Jojo now. And Cat… she's clearly gone. I don't know who this person is, but it's not Cat. I know it. _You _know it. The sooner Candy learns it, the better it will be for her." Cherry shook her head. "Didn't you say that's what killed Bubbles? Her idiotic hope that Buttercup would come back! Do you want Candy to have that same naivety when she faces Cat in battle? _Do you want her to die?_" Cherry shouted at her mother in frustration. "_Do you, Mom?_"

"Of course not!" Blossom shouted, too. "What kind of ridiculous question is that?"

"_Good_," Cherry's eyes narrowed as she marched past her mother and forced her way into Candy's bedroom.

"Look, Cherry!" Candy exclaimed eagerly as her sister entered her room. "I learned how to sign-"

Cherry shot the book of American Sign Language that her sister held in her hands with her laser beams. The text immediately turned to ash in the orange Puff's fingers. The innocent hero stared, dumbfounded at her empty hands for several moments before bursting into tears. "_Why would you do that_?" she cried, as Blossom rushed to her side to comfort her.

"_Cherisse Utonium_!" Blossom gasped as Candy clung to her for comfort. She glared at her redheaded daughter who glared right back at her. "_What's come over you?_" she yelled.

Cherry ignored her mom. "_Candy, you need to stop this! Stop it right now! Cat is never coming back! Do you hear me? Never! So just stop it, already! OK? She's never coming back! Just stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!" _Cherry screamed at the top of her lungs. Suddenly her screaming was interrupted by a hard slap to the face.

Cherry stared at Blossom in shock as her mother stared angrily at her. Blossom's eyes were glazed with tears, and it pained Cherry to see the hurt in those pink eyes. Cherry's expression immediately went soft. She glanced down at her sister who still wailed loudly from where she lay on her bed. Her face was buried in her pillow as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Cherry looked at her mom again. She felt her stomach churn a little at the sight of a tear falling from Blossom's eyes as she returned to Candy's side on the bed. "I… I'm sorry…" she apologized softly as she stepped backwards away from her mother and sister. She felt sick for being the cause of the pain in her mother's eyes and in her sister's cries. She stared at the ashes left on Candy's bed. When she realized that she was the cause of this, she immediately retreated back to her own bedroom.

Cherry barricaded the door with her computer chair, and fell to the ground, defeated. Her face rested on the cool surface of the hardwood floor as she tried not to focus on the cries of her sister in the next room. "What _has _come over me?" she asked herself as she held onto her stomach, in pain. "What have I done?"

Cherry's eyes fell on her computer desk and saw the picture of her and her boyfriend Stephen displayed on her desktop screen as her wallpaper. Her chest ached horribly and she held her head in a dizziness. "This can't be happening…."

* * *

The next morning, Cat entered the dining room for breakfast to find just Jojo waiting for her. "Where's Princess?" Cat signed as she took her seat.

"She says she's still not feeling well," Jojo frowned.

Cat frowned, too. Even though she didn't care for the woman, she still felt bad, and somewhat guilty for her illness. "Her eyes looked tired when I saw her yesterday."

Jojo just frowned. She cleared her throat and tried to change the subject: "So are you excited for today?" she asked, referring to the plan she had shared with the teenager the night before.

"Definitely!" Cat signed with a big grin. She knew it must have sounded silly to anyone else, but after the initial shock from the news Jojo gave her the other day… Cat felt strangely a whole other step closer to the villain. It sounded crazy to believe that Jojo was truly her mother. But at least that foolish belief was a better reality than Blossom being her mom. With this new idea, it was as if Cat finally felt, at long last, as if she belonged somewhere. Her desire to make Jojo proud only grew within her.

"Great!" Jojo smiled wide, clapping her hands together in satisfaction. "Remember: I'll do all the boring business. You just keep any coppers or Puffs out of my way. Got it, Kiddo?"

"Got it!"

* * *

It was a quiet, but tense breakfast for the Utonium family that morning. Candy's eyes were still bloodshot and swollen from all her crying the day before. As she ate her cereal, she seemed to not bother with swallowing her milk completely, and sloppily let the liquid drool down her face. She was like a zombie- her heart not only broken, but her mind paralyzed.

Blossom frowned as she tried to clean her daughter's face with a napkin. Cherry gaped at her distraught sister from the opposite end of the table, unsure of what to say. She knew that her actions yesterday were the cause of this. As Blossom's gaze shifted towards Cherry, Cherry quickly looked away, feeling ashamed and guilty.

"How about we watch a movie today, Candy?" Blossom tried her best to sound cheerful. "Wouldn't that be fun? We could rent a bunch of movies actually."

"Yeah," Cherry tried too, "And pop popcorn!" she smiled weakly at her sister.

"Yes!" Blossom agreed. "We can watch movies and pop popcorn!"

Candy did not respond for a long time. She slowly looked down at her cereal and then pushed it away from her. "I'm not hungry," she said quietly, in a monotone voice.

"That's OK!" Blossom shot up from her seat and took the bowl away from her. "That's just fine, Sweetie," she assured. "So what movies should we watch?" she asked as she set the bowl in the kitchen sink.

Just then, the hotline began to buzz loudly in the next room. Blossom and Cherry exchanged glances before Cherry got up from her seat and went to answer it: "Yes, Mayor?"

"Cherry! Oh, Thank God! I need you and Candy over here immediately! That villain is coming after me! She's killing all my guards as we speak! She's got Cat with her, too! Get over here! FOR GOD'S SAKE, GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Cherry hung up the line and looked over at Blossom who nodded for her to go. Candy slowly appeared beside Blossom. "What's happening?" she asked quietly.

"Sweetie, maybe you should stay home, today," Blossom frowned at her daughter. "You can help me decide what movies we're going to watch, OK?"

Candy shook her head. "Is it Cat? If it's Cat, I want to go!" suddenly there was determination in her voice.

Cherry hesitated. "Yeah, Candy… it's Cat."

And with that, the brunette disappeared in quick flash of orange light.

"Cherry!" Blossom called out before Cherry could follow. She turned to face her mother. "Take care of her out there, OK?"

"Of course, Mom," Cherry nodded. She then left to follow Candy to Neighborfield's City Hall.

* * *

"Well, well, it's nice to finally meet you, Mayor Kelley," Jojo grinned as she busted through the doors of the mayor's office.

The politician cowered behind his chair as the villain approached him. "Relax," Jojo said sitting down in the chair opposite his desk, and reclining. "I ain't here to hurt you, Mayor. I'm sure you know how this goes by now, don't you?"

"I have the Powerpuff Girls on their way!" the mayor warned, falling backwards away from the villain.

Jojo just smiled. She had Cat outside City Hall waiting for just that. She stood from her seat and walked over to the politician who scrambled backwards from her, still on the floor as he crawled. Jojo took the man by his tie and lifted him onto his feet. She forced the politician to sit down in his chair behind his desk. "_Relax_," she repeated as she returned to the opposite chair once again. "I'll remind you how this goes, since it appears you apparently do not know."

Jojo crossed her arms behind her head as she reclined again in her seat. "I'm here to give you your warning, Mr. Mayor. Now, if you haven't noticed, we villains have invaded this fine city. We want it. And we intend to take it. And rest assured… we will."

Jojo sat up in her seat a little and laced her fingers together, resting her chin on her hands and her elbows on her knees as she leaned closer to the mayor. "You have two options, Mayor Kelley. Option One: You surrender. You have forty-eight hours," she said reaching into her back pocket and retrieving a folded black flag. She placed it on the mayor's desk.

"You have forty-eight hours to do it. You tell me you surrender by flying that there black flag in place of the Neighborfield flag outside this building. If you surrender, no harm will come to you. Your citizens will be fine, but they will be _my _citizens from now on, you understand me? If that black flag don't fly by Friday morning… well then I guess you've selected Option Two. Option Two: You _don't _surrender, and you, as well as every person, child, animal and living thing in this city, _will be killed_."

The mayor stared at the black flag folded in front of him. He gulped nervously as his eyes slowly fell back on the villain who just grinned evilly at him.

"Don't worry, Mayor," Jojo smiled. "You don't have to make your choice now. You got forty-eight hours after all. But if you want some advice from an insider…" Jojo held up her fist and clenched it. She admired the green glow that engulfed it. Kelley winced with fear at the sight of her death ray. Jojo let her fiery fist burn brightly as she continued: "I would go with Option One if I was you."

* * *

Cat hovered above Neighborfield's City Hall. Her eyes searched the sky attentively, waiting for any sign of her sisters. Jojo was meeting with the mayor of Neighborfield, and Cat was certain that the stupid politician had to have called for their help. Sure enough, Cat caught sight of orange and red streaks of light in the sky. She took a deep breath, before shooting off in their direction.

Cherry halted in flight as soon as she saw Cat approaching them. As soon as she saw her, Cherry could feel herself fill with anger. Candy saw Cat, too, and also stopped.

Cat finally reached them. She placed her hands on her hips firmly, hovering before them, with an angry and determined stare. Seeing that look in her eyes, lit a fire within Cherry. Fuel was only added when she read what Cat had to sign to them: "Hey, Girls," she signed with a devious smile. "So how did the rest of school go yesterday?"

Before anyone could react, Cherry threw herself at Cat. She grabbed the villain by the collar and served a hard punch to her face, breaking her nose instantly.

Cat tumbled backwards in the air, still half-shocked by the sudden attack. She held her nose as her palm filled with blood. It was her turn for herself to fill with rage as immediate noise filled her head. She flew at Cherry at top speed, tackling the redheaded heroine in mid-flight.

Cat grabbed her sister by the arm and tossed her a hundred feet backwards, until she slammed until the side of a building. Cherry instantly, shot back at Cat who was approaching her fast. Cat threw punch after punch at Cherry, but the hero managed to block them all.

As Cherry successfully blocked each of her attacks, Cat's frustration grew. Cat paused her attacks, and fell backwards by two steps, she shot upwards and then came down on Cherry, finally landing a blow to her head with a hard kick to the face.

The force of the attack sent Cherry flying down to the ground. She managed to regain stability before hitting the ground and shot back at Cat. She thrust her right index finger in the direction of her sister, and created a powerful tunnel of wind to knock the villain backwards.

The wind swirled around Cat, in the shape of a violent tornado, entrapping the villain in one spot, until her sister burst through the tunnel, kicking her directly in the gut. As Cat knelt forward under the forceful kick, Cherry elbowed Cat in the head, sending her flying down towards the ground.

Cat managed to hit the breaks before slamming into the ground. She gently stepped onto the pavement and glared up at her sister who hovered in the air, awaiting her next attack. Cat gritted her teeth as the noise in her head worsened by a hundred. Cat planted her feet firmly on the ground and faced her redheaded sibling. She began to cross her arms to concentrate her sound blast, but soon found herself knocked down to the ground from behind.

Candy flung herself at Cat, knocking the villain onto the pavement, landing forcefully on her belly. Cat coughed as she struggled to turn over. Candy kept her pinned on the ground. "No, Cat!" she shouted. "You can't fight! We're sisters! Sisters don't fight!"

Cat finally was able to throw Candy off of her. She stumbled onto her feet and glared at Candy. "We're not sisters anymore, Candy!" she signed. She glared at the girl who sat on the floor with tears quickly filling her eyes. Cat rolled her eyes. "Why do I even bother? It's not like she knows what I'm telling her anyway," she thought.

Candy bit her lip nervously as she rose to her feet. She studied hard. She understood most of what Cat said. She said "sister" and she said "no" or "not" and she said "we." She could piece the rest together. Candy hesitantly raised her hands. She signed slowly: "I'm your sister, Cat."

Cat gaped at the brunette, surprised by her sign language.

"I'm your sister, Cat," she signed again. "I'm your sister. I love you."

Cat felt the noise in her head suddenly begin to diminish. What was this? She blinked at her sister who signed repeatedly with a determined face: "I'm your sister. I love you."

Before Cat could respond to Candy, she was knocked down again from behind by Cherry. Cherry sat on top of Cat, pinning her to the ground as she served punch after punch to the villain's face.

The noise in her head returned as Cat kicked Cherry off of her. She charged at the redhead, and zapped her with her laser beams. Cherry screamed in pain as the red beams paralyzed her for a moment. That moment was just long enough for Cat to tackle her to the ground. She now had Cherry pinned and served the same punishment that Cherry had just done to her.

Candy rushed into action, trying her best to get between the two, but Cat pushed her away. As Cat fought Candy off, Cherry was able to wiggle out from underneath her. She charged at Cat again, zapping her with her own eye lasers.

Cat fell backwards, and Cherry again pointed her finger at her, creating a gust of wind that carried the villain several hundred feet into the air with great force. Cherry shot up into the sky, kicking Cat as she fought against the wind.

The villain crashed through a billboard in the sky and continued to fall to the ground. She hit the pavement with such great force that it created a nine foot deep crater in the earth. Cat shook her head with dizziness as she climbed out of the giant hole. Cherry stood there waiting as Cat emerged and kicked her back down into the ground.

Cat grew enraged and tore at her sister. She shot up into the air, striking Cherry as she emerged from the ground again. Cherry skid across the ground, face first, burning the entire left side of her face with a painful rash. She quickly climbed to her feet, and began to fly at Cat again, but felt a tug on her arm from behind.

Candy grabbed her: "Cherry!" she cried out as she fought to hold her sister back. "Cut it out! Stop this! You have to stop fighting! We can't get Cat to come back home if you're attacking her!"

"LET GO!" Cherry screamed at Candy as she fought against her. Candy only clung to her with both arms now, trying with all her might to keep Cherry from flying at Cat again.

Cat stood several yards away from them, watching curiously as the two fought. She couldn't help but smile slyly at Cherry's clear frustration.

Cherry could feel herself growing more and more enraged as Candy kept her back. Her fierce eyes were fixated on Cat. As she watched the devious smile sweep Cat's face, the fire within her exploded. "I SAID _LET GO_!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, finally ripping herself from Candy's hold.

Cherry spun around and pointed her finger forcefully at her orange sister: "_STAY OUT OF THIS CANDY!_"

At that moment, a thin, concentrated thread of wind shot from Cherry's finger. She had never forced her wind tunnel into such a small, compacted line before. Usually her wind gusts were large, flowing and smooth. But this stream of wind was tight, powerful and sharp. It pierced through Candy like the world's most powerful bullet.

Candy remained still for a brief moment, as the force ripped through her chest. She could feel a sharp, sudden sting inside of her. Immediately her breath was gone. As she gasped to find air, she looked down at her chest and saw that her orange t-shirt quickly turned red with blood. She slowly touched the spot over her heart, and gaped at the blood on her fingers, confused as to what just happened. Her eyes fell on Cherry, who stood, equally as shocked in front of her. Candy's vision suddenly began to fade, and she collapsed to the ground, face first.

Cat's smile had disappeared. She now stared at the scene before her with her jaw dropped. What the hell just happened?

Cherry could not find the movement in her feet. She stood there, paralyzed in shock as her sister hit the ground. Suddenly the air shook with thunder and rain immediately began to fall from the sky. The water was enough to snap Cherry out of her hypnotized state and she rushed over to Candy.

Cherry fell to her knees as she leaned over her sister. "Oh my God!" she screamed. "_What have I done?_" She went to touch her sister but hesitated. She was scared. She wasn't moving. What if she were…. Cherry slowly reached towards her sister, and finally touched her. "_Candy?" _she shouted. "_CANDY?_" her screams echoed in the rain as she tried to shake her sister awake.

Cat stood still in absolute astonishment. She watched silently as her sister turned Candy over and pressed her ear to her bloody t-shirt, listening for a heart beat. Cat held her breath, too, waiting for an answer.

She didn't say it, but the painful wail Cherry let out immediately after explained it all.

Candy was dead.

Cat's eyes fell on the sky as she watched the rain pour down on them three. In the sky, she could see a streak of green light. She knew that Jojo's business in Neighborfield was done, and that meant it was time for her to leave. Cat's eyes fell on her sisters for one last time.

Cherry cried hysterically as she held Candy in her arms. Cat took a step in Cherry's direction, but stopped herself.

It was time for her to leave. So she did.


	13. Chapter 13

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: After reviewing my outline, I've decided that what the next events pretty much consist of are three separate endings to this story. Therefore, I've decided to combine the chapters so that we end this epilogue at Chapter 15. That way each chapter-beginning with this one- will end with an ending. That leaves two more chapters after this one. Ugh, it's depressing to be finishing this story after writing it for nearly four years now. But I guess it eventually had to happen._

_I dedicate this chapter to Danny. I've known you forever. I hope that I will always remain a part of your life, even if it's just a tiny part. Thanks for always being there. For life and fan fiction. From my very first fan fic as I took on the pseudonym/persona "Bobby" back when we were just retarded kids… you were always there, providing constant encouragement. We've been through a lot, huh? Fucking weird. If there is any reader out there, who I hope appreciates this chapter's ending in particular, I hope that it is you. Mostly, I hope it doesn't piss you the hell off, lol. But. *shrugs* You know me._

_Fun fact: The song which inspired this "part 2" to Villain, and this chapter in particular, was _London Calling _by the Clash. I don't know why. But those final lyrics spoke to me, and have always been what it would come down to. So here we are…._

* * *

**Chapter 13**

No questions were asked about the cause of death for Candy Utonium. It was all assumed that it was done by Cat. Even Blossom, who had difficulty facing the fact that her yellow-eyed daughter now called herself a villain, assumed this to be what happened.

And neither Cat nor Cherry could bring themselves to correct anyone.

Cherry stood silently at the doorway as she watched her mother. Blossom sat on her daughter Candy's bed, still in shock that her bright-eyed daughter would not be returning home. She had cried so hard when the news story broke that day, that she had long since run out of tears. She caressed one of Candy's old stuffed animals she had always kept on her bed, and listened to the rain outside, as she tried to face this harsh reality.

Cherry had found herself frozen in place, too scared to enter her deceased sibling's bedroom. She inhaled deeply, gathering the little courage she could find, and ventured towards Blossom.

"I remember when I tried to get her to get rid of these things and donate them to the children's home. Do you remember? She threw a fit," Blossom smiled weakly at the teddy bear in her hands. "I told her that she didn't need all these little girl things anymore, but she insisted that she did. That they would always be dear to her, and she could never abandon them. As if they were her best friends…. And now," she sighed, looking up and letting her eyes fall on her redheaded daughter who sat down beside her, "I don't think I could ever bring myself to get rid of any of this."

Cherry nodded and remained silent for a long time. "Mom," she finally forced herself to say. "I need to tell you something."

Blossom glanced at Cherry, trying to read the expression in her daughter's eyes. Cherry's eyes remained fixed on the empty doorway before them. They were large, and scared looking, as if the Devil himself were standing at the door. Blossom set aside the teddy bear and turned towards her daughter, feeling instantly overwhelmed with concern. She had never seen such a look of terror before. Especially in Cherry's eyes. "What is it, Sweetie?" she asked, placing her hand on the teenager's hand.

Cherry grasped her mother's hand in hers and closed her eyes tightly, trying again to find the words. She opened her eyes, and still focused on the doorway. "I…" she paused to swallow, but found herself choking on the words. She could not say it. She knew what she wanted to say, but could not remember how the words sounded. She shook her head, with her eyes still wide, completely disgusted with herself. "I… can't face Cat in battle."

She would corner herself- that's it. Force herself to tell the truth. She would say things that her mother would have to ask more about, and force the words from herself.

"I can't face Cat in battle," she repeated. "I can't fight, Mom."

Blossom was shocked to hear this from her daughter. The day before, the teenager was so determined to defeat her sister, and completely abandoned the idea of them being sisters at all. When Blossom learned of Candy's death, she thought for certain that the need for revenge would only deepen for Cherry. But now she was telling her this. "What do you mean?" Blossom asked.

"I can't do it, Mom." Cherry's eyes still remained locked in their scared state. "I can't see another sister killed."

"Who said anything about killing her?" Blossom asked. "Of course, no one expects you to go that far, Dear. You just have to stop her, and-"

"And then what, Mom?" she interrupted. "And then let _them _kill her instead? You know that's what they want. It's what the world wants. Jojo and Cat dead."

"Cherry…."

Cherry was silent.

Blossom stared at her daughter. Something was clearly missing. When Bubbles was murdered, Blossom wanted nothing more than to kill Buttercup for it. She wanted to avenge her sister's death. She still did, today. Something was missing. "Cherry," she began again, "What's going on?"

Cherry's lip began to quiver as she finally turned to look at her mother. Blossom's eyes suddenly found tears again as she noticed the pain in her daughter's eyes. "I think I'm Evil, Mom," Cherry confessed through teary eyes.

Blossom blinked at her daughter, and honestly, could not think of anything to say to this. She wasn't expecting those words from Cherry at all. "Cherry," she finally said, shaking her head, "You are not Evil. I know Evil, and you are nothing like her."

"No, Mom," she shook her head, finally letting the tears escape from her wide, frightened eyes. "I can feel it growing inside of me. This bad feeling…. It started when Stephen was killed, and it's just kept growing. This awful thirst for revenge. I can feel it consuming me- _changing _me. I hate it. It's taking over me. I feel so angry now… all the time. It's always there. And I'm losing control. No, I've already lost control. I lost it with Candy, and-"

"You were frustrated and upset, Dear," Blossom interrupted, believing Cherry to be referring to her blow up with Candy the night before.

"No, Mom!" Cherry was shouting now, and pleading with her eyes for her mother to listen to her. "If I face Cat in battle I know what will happen! I know that it will happen! It will consume me, and take over, and I will lose control! I will kill her! I will kill Cat! My sister! I will kill my own damn sister! I can see it happening! It replays over and over in my head… and I can't escape it! I don't want to do it! I don't want to kill my sister! I don't want to!" Cherry erupted into loud cries,

and buried her face in her hands as she wept.

Blossom wrapped her arms around her, and held her tightly. "You don't have to do anything that you don't want to, Cherry," she said. "Like I said, no one expects you to kill her. No one." Blossom gently touched her daughter's face and raised her chin so that she looked at her. "You are strong, and you are brave. You're mightier than I ever was at your age. You have strength that I could never manage. When you face your sister, I know you will do things much better than I could have ever done. You have not lost control, and you are not Evil. I _know _that you can do this, Cherry. You're going to be the hero who saves us all. I know it. I believe it. I believe in _you_. You have always been my greatest hope for the future."

Cherry stared at her mother, realizing that she could never bring her to understand. She swallowed her fear as much as she could, and slowly nodded. "Yes, Mom."

* * *

Jojo crept into the bedroom, carefully shutting the door behind her so that it made no noise. It was late afternoon now, and Princess was still in bed. Jojo held a tray of food for her girlfriend. A simple sandwich and glass of pink lemonade. She gently set the tray at her bedside table, and sat beside her lover.

Princess was fast asleep. She looked restless as she lie there. Her brow was wrinkled as if pained or annoyed. Jojo ran her fingers through her red curls, and frowned. She wanted to wake Princess to ask her how she was feeling, but also didn't want to disturb her. And by the looks of how she tossed and turned, clearly, the villain was still not well.

Jojo's hand rested on top of Princess's as she traced the dainty girl's finger tips, admiring her perfectly manicured, bright pink nails. Jojo smiled a little and lifted her hand gently, planting a kiss on Princess's fingers, before returning her hand to her side.

Jojo stood to leave, but found herself stopped by a sudden tight grasp around her wrist. She looked down and saw that Princess held onto her tightly. Jojo slowly turned around again to face her, and saw that Princess's eyes were still closed as her fingers remained locked around the villain's wrist.

"_Let go_," Princess moaned quietly, as her eyes remained shut.

Jojo smiled weakly, feeling a little relieved to hear her sweetheart's voice again. "You're the one holding on to me," she said with a small laugh.

"_Let her go_," Princess pleaded again quietly.

Suddenly Jojo felt concerned as she watched her lover's grasp tighten on her own wrist. The girl's fingernails had begun to dig into Jojo's skin. Jojo cringed a little at the pain. Although she could have easily pulled away from her grasp, Jojo let her continued to claw into her wrist. Jojo stared at Princess, and then noticed something for the first time.

There was a faint pink glow that seemed to engulf Princess's body. Jojo's eyes widened at the sight of this. As the puzzle pieces began to fall into place, she heard his voice disguised as Princess's: "_No_," she breathed meanly.

"_Let her go, please_," Princess pleaded again through pained, shut eyes.

"_Never_," she continued to argue with herself.

Jojo couldn't help but fall backwards by several steps, finally releasing herself from Princess's hold. She gaped as the glow around Princess seemed to shine brighter, and Princess tossed and turned frantically in her sleep.

Jojo immediately found herself running out of the room. She didn't mean to abandon her sweetheart. She was just _that _scared at the sight of what she saw. Jojo slammed the door behind herself forcefully, and leaned up against it, as if trying to barricade the evil in the room. She breathed heavily as she leaned with her back against the door. "_Holy shit_…."

Cat stood in the hallway, watching Jojo. She had just been leaving her own bedroom, when she saw Jojo flee the room. Cat lowered her headphones, and carefully approached the villain who had not noticed her yet. "What's wrong?" Cat signed as soon as Jojo's frightened eyes fell on her.

Jojo only stared at Cat for a long time. She stood up straight and backed away from the door, watching it intensely. She looked at Cat and tried her best to disguise her fear: "Hey, Kiddo," she forced a smile, but it soon faded. "Uhh, well, I've told ya the stories before. Uhh…. Remember how I had to defeat Him before taking over Townsville?"

Cat thought for a moment. "Right," she signed. "And Princess was able to contain Him after he tried to take over your body." The teenager shuttered at the uncomfortable idea of possession.

"Right," Jojo nodded, still looking panicked. "Well…" she gulped. She slowly lifted her hand and pointed at the door to the bedroom. "He's back."

Cat's eyes widened and she found herself retreating backwards a little from the door. She looked to Jojo for some answer: "Him is in there?"

Jojo nodded. "Well, Him is inside Princess, who is in there."

Cat blinked at the villain. "But she has Him under control, right?" she signed.

"It doesn't look like that's the case anymore, Kiddo," Jojo shook her head.

"…What do we do?" Cat signed.

"I…" Jojo's mind raced for an answer, but turned up empty. "I have no idea." Jojo's eyes searched up and down the hallway frantically for a moment, as if trying to locate a solution. Her eyes fell on Cat who blinked dumbly back at her. Jojo took a very long, deep breath and closed her eyes.

She knew she had to face Him. She had no idea what she would do when she did, but she couldn't leave Him in there with Princess. If he was truly taking over her body, that meant he was slowly killing her right then. Jojo readied herself, and opened her eyes again.

Cat saw Jojo's expression turn determined and serious. Jojo looked to Cat. "Maybe you should stay out here, Kiddo."

Cat shook her head, and also looked determined. "I want to help."

Jojo couldn't help but smile. She nodded at the young villain, and slowly opened the door.

As soon as Jojo turned the doorknob, it was as if a great storm blew the door open for her. Suddenly the world around them turned sideways. Jojo clung to the doorway, keeping herself from falling into a great pink void below. Somehow the power of flight was gone from them both, and Cat began to fall through the doorway. Jojo quickly grabbed the teenager by her wrist and held onto her tightly: "Hold on, Kiddo!"

"Yeah, sure, no problem!" Cat shouted in return.

At the shock of hearing Cat's voice Jojo lost her grip on the young Villain. Cat, too, was surprised to hear the words escape her own mouth so clearly, and slipped from Jojo's grasp.

Cat hit the ground below hard, landing face first, and knocking the wind from her. Jojo let go of her grasp on the doorway and allowed herself to fall to the ground below. She tumbled onto the floor as she landed and quickly rushed over to Cat, helping the teenager onto her feet, as she surveyed her surroundings.

They were surrounded by nothing, and stood in an empty place. The air was thick, and humid. The color of the sky and ground were shades of pink and red. They could hear Princess laughing evilly somewhere, but could not see her. Her voice seemed to be everywhere all at once. The two villains stood back to back, as they waited, tense and ready for anything.

Cat massaged her throat and hummed a little, feeling her vocal chords vibrate for the first time in over five years. She was confused as to how this was possible, but guessed it had to do with the strange world they now found themselves trapped within.

"You OK, Kiddo?" Jojo asked, without looking at her. She was still intent on finding Him and Princess.

Cat nodded, "Yeah," she said aloud quietly, "I'm OK." Cat's eyes began to focus on a shadow growing in the distance. "Jojo…" she called quietly.

Jojo turned around and saw the figure approaching too. As it drew closer, it revealed itself to be Princess. Only, it wasn't her mentally. Jojo could see that the color of her eyes were gone, and her pupils were a blank white. She did not walk, but hovered towards them. Suddenly she stopped, just several yards away from where they stood.

Her face was expressionless, and her stance was feeble. She looked like a rag doll, just hanging there in the air. Slowly a devilish grin began to sweep her face, and she lifted her head to stare at both Cat and Jojo. She spoke in a strangely calm manner: "If you are looking for Princess, she is out of your reach now. In fact, she is almost gone."

Jojo tried to approach Princess's body, but suddenly found her feet locked in place. She glanced at Cat, who too looked to be struggling to move her own feet. Jojo glared at the demon who now inhabited Princess: "You bastard!" she cursed. "You let her go now! Or else!"

"Or else what?" Him replied through Princess. "You've fought me once before, and although you won, you do remember what happens after, don't you?"

Jojo gritted her teeth. "_What kind of coward are you?_" Jojo screamed. "Locking us here in place, and refusing to fight! Be a true villain and show me what you got, why don'tcha?"

"_Tsk, tsk_," Him replied. "You never listen, do you?"

"She's right!" Cat joined in, "You're just too scared to fight her! If you were as powerful as you think you were, you wouldn't need to use Princess or anyone else's body! You're nothing but a parasite!"

"_Ooh_," Him laughed a little. "Well, listen to you!" A wider grin swept Princess's face as she hovered a little closer to them both. She stood just two feet away from them. "That reminds me," Him continued through Princess's voice. "There _is _a reason why I gave you your voice back, Cat. Can you guess why?"

Cat gritted her teeth as she fought to move, but found herself still paralyzed.

"_So that I could hear you beg for your life as you cried out in pain!_"

At that moment, it was if Cat was slapped in the face by invisible fire. She was no longer paralyzed, but the excruciating pain that suddenly overwhelmed her brought her to her knees. She clawed at her own face, as she felt it burn excruciatingly. Cat cried out in agony. She had never experienced anything like this. The invisible fire seemed to travel to her hands and arms as well, and she cried out over and over again. She eventually fell onto her belly, crippled by this torture. She felt as if her skin were melting off, and as she pained to pry her eyes open, she could see, that in fact it _was_.

She gaped at her fingers as they burned before her. Layer by layer, the skin from her hands peeled away. But the most excruciating torture was to the right side of her face. Although it hurt her hands even more to do it, she clawed at her face in misery as the burning grew more and more intense. The heat was unbearable, and she cried out louder than she ever remembered herself to do.

Jojo stood horrified, and unable to move to help her. As she struggled to find movement, Him continued: "Or should I say: So that _Jojo _could hear you cry out in pain?"

Jojo glared at Him. "_What the fuck are you doing_?" she screamed. "Stop this! The kid hasn't done anything! Stop it!"

"Oh, Jojo, but don't you recognize it? _Look_," Princess motioned towards Cat. "Doesn't it seem all too familiar?"

Jojo could barely bring herself to watch the torture, even though she only glanced at Cat for a moment's time. She could see what Him was trying to recreate. Slowly, the burning on Cat's face began to torch a 'V' shaped mark across the teenager's right eye. Cat screamed louder and louder by the second and writhed about the floor violently.

"Do you remember the pain, Jojo?" Him asked.

"Yes, you sick bastard!" Jojo yelled. "Now make it stop!"

"First you have to do something for me," Him said.

"_What_?" Jojo screamed. "_What the fuck could you possibly want from me?_"

"_You_, of course," Him laughed evilly. "You, your death ray, and your position of power."

Jojo clenched her fists in anger. "You'd have to fight me for it, you coward!"

Princess shook her head as Him continued: "_Tsk, tsk_. I'm trying to make a better deal for you if you would just take it. Give yourself to me freely and I let the kid _and _your precious Princess go. I'll even let the little brat keep her voice, how's that?"

Jojo gritted her teeth, and then cried out in frustration. Her eyes traveled from Princess's body, back to Cat, and back to Princess. She didn't want to just give in. That wasn't how she did things. Just give up?- Never! Not without a fight!

"_Hmm_," Him continued, "it sure looks painful for poor little Cat," he poked. "I wonder how it would feel if it were ten times worse?"

At that moment, the pain increased by that much for Cat and the youngster wailed out in agony. She began to beat her own face against the hard surface of the ground, trying desperately to numb the torture. It was if the fire had began to penetrate beneath her skin, and was burning the very bone below itself.

"_Stop it_!" Jojo screamed, as Cat's cries sent a terrifying chill down her spine.

"_Ooh_, or how about a hundred times worse?" Him laughed.

Again Cat cried out in even more agony.

"_STOP IT_!" Jojo screamed, now finding herself in tears. She couldn't take the screaming from Cat anymore.

"Maybe a thousand times?-"

"_ENOUGH_!" Jojo demanded. "_ALRIGHT! I'LL DO IT_!"

Without saying anything else, or giving Jojo a chance to change her mind, Him took her agreement. Princess's body collapsed to the ground as a cloud of pink smoke escaped from her lips. The smoke traveled over to Jojo and engulfed her. As Jojo choked on the pink haze, the world around them began to fade, and thankfully, so did Cat's screams.

Princess coughed as she immediately jumped onto her feet. She ran towards Jojo, who knelt bended on one knee, trying to control her own coughing fit. Princess helped her to her feet: "You idiot! _What were you thinking?_" Princess yelled at her lover.

Jojo winced. She could already feel the effects of Him inside of her. The demon had been inside her once before; he must have remembered just how to navigate through her. That horrible screaming was distant, but it already filled her head nonetheless. Her stomach churned, as nausea consumed her. She tried her best to smile at Princess. "What else was I supposed to do, huh? Let you die? Let Cat be tortured to death?"

Princess had no answer. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she watched Jojo's skin turn paler by the second. "I don't know!" she cried. "But not this!" She threw her arms around Jojo and held onto her tightly.

Jojo caressed Princess and petted her hair while Princess's tears stained her uniform. Jojo's mind raced for a solution to stop Him, but only one idea came to mind. She had thought of it before. In nightmares where she dreamed one day this could happen again. In memories of… what if Princess hadn't been able to control the demon? The only other scenario was this. Slowly this realization set in, and Jojo began to face the fact that this demon would take her life.

_So it's come to this? This is how it ends? _Jojo couldn't help but laugh a little to herself. Her father always warned her that death was both unpredictable and unavoidable. She couldn't decide if she would have rather eventually died of old age, killed instantly and suddenly in battle, or…

This way. This way had to be the worst. Knowing that there was no other option other than death. She did not want to die, but wavering on the very brink of what she could not escape was even worse somehow. She would much rather take the plunge willingly, rather than fall helplessly to her doom.

Yes. If it were to be Him who took her life, she would not give it to him so freely. She would not let the demon win this battle. Not without a fight.

Never without a fight.

"I don't want to see Him inside of you!" Princess continued to cry. "That jerk! He's just going to pretend to be you and take all the credit for everything you've fought for! I won't be able to stand it! I just won't!"

"You don't have to worry about that," Jojo lifted Princess's head, so that she looked up at her again. Jojo forced a smile on her face. "I will defeat Him," she swallowed hard, "And everything will be OK. For you and for Cat."

"And for you?" Princess questioned.

Jojo forced the smile to remain on her face, as Him's cackling in her head grew closer . "And for me," she nodded. She brought Princess closer and kissed her passionately.

Cat lay with her back on the ground, breathing heavily, and crying softly to herself. She was unaware of what was happening around her. She could hear the deal happening between Jojo and Him, but she was confused as to whether this was a dream or actually happening. The pain was gone from her, but the soreness remained.

She forced herself to sit up and noticed that her fingers, hands and forearms were scarred horribly. She jumped at the sight of it. Suddenly her eyes fell on Princess's vanity. They were no longer in Him's world, but back in Jojo and Princess's bedroom.

Cat gaped at her reflection in Princess's mirror. Slowly she brought her burnt fingertips to trace the "V" shape scar now branded over her face. It was dark, nearly black, and branded over her already existing scars.

"Kiddo," came Jojo's voice from behind. "You OK?"

Cat whipped around and blinked at the villain. She swallowed hard, and touched her throat, again feeling her vocal chords vibrate as she responded: "Yeah… I think so…."

Jojo extended her hand and Cat stared at it, before taking it and being helped onto her feet. The two villains stared at each other in silence for a long while. Cat could see the color leaving Jojo's eyes. She could see her skin growing white. She was dying. Him was inside of her, and it was killing her.

Cat immediately found herself clinging to the villain as she cried loudly. "This is all my fault!"

"What?" Jojo questioned, pulling away from her a little. "No way, Kiddo. This isn't your fault."

Cat shook her head. "It is!" she shouted through desperate tears. "If I had never come here, none of this would have happened!" I wish I never came to you! I wish none of this had happened! At least you would still be OK! Him wouldn't have used me to get to you like that! And you would be OK! You would still be OK!"

Jojo shook her head. "Kiddo, when are you ever going to learn to stick up for yourself?"

Cat stopped, and blinked at the villain. "What?"

"Your compassion is unlike anything I've ever seen, you know that?" Jojo smiled a little. "You're always so concerned with everyone else's problems. You're always compromising and sacrificing. Even when you finally do things for yourself, you second guess it, or take it back entirely. Don't think I never noticed. I do." Jojo paused. "If you never came here, where would you be today? _Who _would you be today?"

Cat stared at her, unsure of what to say. "I… I don't know…." Her mind searched. "I would… probably still be at home…. I would be in Neighborfield…. They hate me there. They don't let me fight there." She looked at Jojo. "I would be there, and I wouldn't be allowed to be anyone really." Cat paused. "But I'd rather be some strange, lonely mute kid, if it meant that this could all be avoided. If it could save your life, Jojo…. I would do it."

Jojo smiled. "Don't worry about me, Kiddo. I'll be fine." Jojo's eyes fell on Princess who stood there, watching silently. "I've done what I wanted to do. I discovered my special power. I found a family. I met the girl of my dreams," she smiled at Princess who returned a weak smile, "I made my dad proud. I took over Townsville. I began the villain's quest for world-wide domination. And I got to meet you," Jojo smiled at Cat. "I'm just fine, Kiddo. I've done what I wanted to do, so now it's your turn. What do _you _want to do, Kiddo?"

At that moment, the alarms in City Hall began to sound, warning the villains inside that the city was, once again, under attack. Jojo ignored the sirens. "What do you want to do?" she repeated.

Cat's mind was blank. She was never asked that question before. "I… I…. want… to talk."

Jojo's smile widened, she placed a hand on Cat's shoulder. "Well you got your voice now. So use it."

Cat stared up at the villain, as everything around them blinked under the red glow of the alarms. She could not believe that this was happening. This was Jojo saying goodbye to her. For good. Cat couldn't help but begin to cry again.

"Hey, Kiddo," Jojo said as soon as the teenager began to weep. "You're going to be fine," she insisted. She reached out and touched Cat's face, holding it up so that the young villain looked at her again. "Even after all this, won't you give me a smile?"

Cat blinked at the villain, trying her best to contain her tears. Slowly, she allowed a small smile to cross her face.

Jojo studied the teenager that stood before her. She was still just a kid. She still had so much to learn. She was only sixteen, and caught up in something so big. She was still just a kid… and she would soon rule the world.

Jojo raised her chin high, and smiled down at Cat. "I never felt so much alike."

Jojo turned to Princess. "Take care of her, Princess. Help her. Will you?"

Princess slowly nodded. "Yes."

Jojo smiled at her lover for one last time. She could not bring herself to say anything more. Him's voice in her head was growing strong. It was time.

* * *

Jojo flew through the air in search of the military attack in Townsville. She located them entering the eastern border. A hundred armored tanks, and at least two thousand more troops on foot. They marched into the city, and began to light everything on fire. Jojo hovered above the army and began to plan her attack.

Him screeched in her head: "_Just what do you think you are doing_?"

"Giving you the fight of your life," Jojo muttered. She began her decent into the middle of the chaos below.

Jojo attacked the tanks first, shooting them with her laser beams, heating the gasoline within them so that they erupted into large balls of fire. The explosions were so massive they quickly burned and destroyed any surrounding troops. The explosions also set off a domino effect, igniting any other tanks nearby.

It had been a long time since Jojo last found herself in the middle of the heat of physical battle. For years she had allowed her death ray to do all the work. It was invigorating, and refreshing to be in the midst of everything. She took on each soldier as they ran at her, beating them with her fists, one by one.

Jojo kept her death ray charging in her fists, but was careful not to release it. As her death ray's power concentrated and grew, the pain it caused also grew. It had also been a very long time since she allowed the power to charge for more than a few seconds' time. She had forgotten how excruciating the pain could be if she did not release it. She knew it could drain everything from within her if she allowed it to keep going, and her hopes were that it could also drain Him from within her.

One by one, the fleets of soldiers charged at the villain. And one by one, the villain defeated them with her bare hands. She was stronger then than she had ever been. Even with Him inside of her, fighting to gain control, she was able to easily kill anyone who approached her.

She stayed in one concentrated area, defeating about three hundred army men, before zipping through another crowd at high speed. As she tore through the mobs of military men, she held her fists out on either side of her, serving deadly punches to all who she passed.

Jojo zipped over to a large military tank which had yet to be destroyed. She grabbed the large vehicle and held it over her head. She used her laser beams to heat up the tank, before throwing it forcefully at the fleet of soldiers below. As it hit the army, it exploded like a great bomb, killing every surrounding man.

Jojo paused for a moment, as her sight began to spin a little. She felt weak, but shook the pain away, trying to remain focused. The fire around her fists burned a deadly bright green. The fire and electricity of her death ray began to slowly crawl up her arms, as it began to consume her entire body. She was beginning to feel paralyzed by its great power.

Jojo gritted her teeth and swallowed the torment as best she could. She had to carry on. After all, she knew that what she was planning had to work, because Him's voice in her head was screaming over and over again: "STOP THIS! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? STOP THIS!"

Jojo charged at a group of remaining soldiers. She served one great punch, knocking several out all at once. She shot the remaining soldiers with her laser eyes, before shooting up into the night sky.

There were still at least several hundred soldiers to be defeated. Jojo's stomach lurched as Him's voice grew stronger within her. Jojo paused to vomit. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she stumbled backwards in the air, as she tried to fight against Him's control.

Jojo wiped the vomit from her lips and clenched her fists, determined: "Give it up, Him," she spoke to herself. "You're done for." Her eyes fell on a military jet that was approaching her fast. She shot towards it immediately, and grabbed the plane by its tail, flinging it at the soldiers who marched below.

The military jet crashed and tore through the crowd of remaining soldiers, finally killing them all. Finally, the path was clear for Jojo's final move.

A tormenting screeching filled Jojo's ears and she screamed out in pain. Slowly, she descended back to the ground, holding her stomach in pain as she vomited again. He was fighting her with all her might, but she was fighting right back. Jojo bit her tongue so hard that blood began to seep from her mouth and it drizzled down her neck. She refused to release the piercing grip on her tongue- afraid that if she opened her mouth in any least bit, Him's voice would escape from her own mouth. He was trying to speak through her. She could feel it.

Jojo's death ray now encompassed her as a giant sphere of green fire and electricity. She fought to stand again, against the crippling pressure of her own power. As she straightened her back, she could feel her own spine snap against the green inferno around her. She yelled out in agony, as did Him.

Again, Jojo fell to her knees, unable to stand up against the huge gravity that fought against her. She remained crippled, on all fours, as she breathed heavily, trying to keep herself from falling out of consciousness. Her body was weak, and it tried desperately to save itself by fighting to release her death ray. It wanted to search for lives to steal. It needed those lives. Without them, Jojo would perish.

But she would not allow it. She clenched her teeth tightly, and bore the pain. She let herself fall onto her back and stared up at the evening sky. It was just before sunset then, and the sky shined a bright red and orange. Jojo closed her eyes, and took her last, long, deep breath.

Him fought desperately to gain control as the villain raised her hands from her sides and aimed her fiery fists at the empty red sky. "Game over, Him," she said through gritted teeth.

Jojo opened her fists and her death ray immediately shot straight up towards the sky. The force was so powerful, it plowed the villain's weak body through the earth on which she had been lying.

Jojo's death ray shot up into the sky, turning it from red to green. It traveled for miles, in search of life, but found nothing. Cat and Princess watched in horror as the green light ripped through the sky blindly. They had just arrived on the battle scene in time to see Jojo release the great power. Princess immediately cried out for her lover as she watched the death ray shoot through the sky. Cat remained quiet, paralyzed in shock as she watched the energy rip from the villain.

As Jojo buried herself further and further into the earth, she could feel the energy tearing through her own body. She felt as if she were being torn limb from limb. Her bones snapped one by one, as her death ray drained everything within her. Finally she could hear Him's voice begin to fade as he screamed out in pain, at long last defeated.

Jojo could not help but feel relieved to hear his voice gone from her head. For the last seventeen seconds of her life, she had silence in her own mind. She felt finally at peace.

The green glowing lit up the sky for thirteen long minutes, before suddenly, it ended. Without warning, it stopped. There was no immense explosion, or great bang. It simply fizzled, faded, and ended, and was gone.

Princess fell to her knees, weeping. Cat immediately rushed over to the giant crater in the earth, where Jojo rested. She flew into the dark cavern, and landed several feet away from the villain. Jojo was motionless, and lying flat on her back. Her eyes were closed, and her arms rested limply by her sides. Cat felt scared and truthfully did not want to come any closer. Slowly, she approached the villain and knelt by her side.

Cat's eyes stayed fixed on Jojo's face for a long time. She held her breath, waiting and praying that the great villain would open her eyes. Cat cautiously pressed her ear to Jojo's chest and listened.

Nothing.

Cat touched the villain's face and traced the "V" shape scar that was branded there. Her skin was cold, as if had been frozen for a long time. Cat could hear Jojo's voice in her head as she traced the scar over and over again, waiting and praying for warmth to return to the villain's flesh.

"_What do you want to do, Kiddo_?"

Cat slowly rose to her feet. She gradually raised her hand to her own face and began to trace the new scar she now possessed. It was just like hers.

Exactly like hers.

"_What do _you _want to do, Kiddo_?"

Cat closed her eyes and could see Jojo smiling at her like she had done just before she parted.

"_What do _**you **_want to do, Kiddo_?"

Cat clenched her fists, and felt determination fill her: "I want to be a villain."

* * *

_"Buttercup, where do you think you are going?"_

_"Where does it look like I'm going? Out."_

_"It's practically midnight! The professor would be furious!"_

_"Oh, Red, I'll be back! Trust me: You won't even notice I'm gone!"_

_"Will you at least tell me where you are going?"_

_"I said already. Out. ...Oh, alright, I'd tell you but it's a surprise. I promise you'll love it though!"_

_"Well, be careful! And come straight back! OK?"_

_"Yeah, yeah! OK!"_

Blossom awoke from her sleep abruptly and found herself gasping for air. She had fallen asleep not long ago, feeling drained from the day's tragic events. Her sleep was restless, but she at least had no nightmares as she slept but only that one dream. However what woke her was worse than any nightmare she had ever experienced. The feeling that shook her was dark and foreboding. It grasped her and choked her and she fought to find air again as she sat up in bed, gasping.

Blossom's eyes fell on the window, as she noticed a distant green light in the sky. She gradually rose from her bed, and walked over to the window. Blossom watched the green beam of light shooting up into the sky. Although she did not know what it was, whatever it was, it made her heart sink. The light seemed to hypnotize her, and she could not bring herself to look away from it. When the light finally was gone, Blossom looked down in her hand and saw that she had unfastened her necklace she had worn around her neck. She looked down at the simple silver chain with a single, heart-shaped pink diamond. She had forgotten where she acquired the jewelery, but she had always worn it since she could remember. She must have had it nearly all her life... since she was probably five or six.

Suddenly, the memory returned to her as her dream completed itself:

_"Buttercup, where did you get this?"_

_"Shh... I found it, OK?"_

_"Found it? ...You don't mean... stole it... do you?"_

_"I found it."_

_"Buttercup, it's beautiful, but... I can't accept it. Not if you... _found_ it."_

_"Oh, don't be such a Goody Goody, Blossom. I want you to have it. It's perfect for you!"_

_"...Thanks, Sis."_

_"Anytime."_


	14. Chapter 14

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: Thanks again for reading. Another reminder that the next chapter will be the last chapter for this story. Expect the final chapter to be up within a week, as I am very eager to write it, and in fact, have already started it. Give me… maybe 3-5 days?_

_Also, I would like to mention that I created a FFNET community in the PPG section for all stories based on _Villain and this epilogue_. If you're interested in reading some work by some very talented authors, go ahead and check it out! The community is called "Villain Fan Fiction." How original. *rolls eyes*_

_Song mentioned in profile. As always._

_Anyways. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"Honey, please try and eat _something_," Blossom frowned from across the kitchen table, staring at her daughter's untouched breakfast.

Cherry's eyes did not part from the book she was reading. "I will," she replied simply.

Blossom tried her best to smile. Cherry had been reading obsessively for nearly a day now. The teenager must have finished a dozen separate novels before she went to bed the night before. Blossom guessed it must have been her attempt to escape from reality. After all, it wasn't a pleasant one since her sister's death. Blossom did not blame her, but grew more and more worried with each completed text.

Tomorrow was the big day. It was the day Jojo and Cat would attempt to take over Neighborfield. Cherry would have to face them both alone. But from her behavior, it was growing obvious that the teenager was not willing to face anything really.

"I have a meeting with the mayor today. A short one," Blossom announced. "Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Uh huh," Cherry answered from behind the thick text in her hands.

"You sure, Sweetie?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'll be fine." She turned the page in the book and buried her nose deeper.

Blossom grew quiet for several minutes. She tried again: "What are you reading?"

"What?"

"What are you reading, Sweetie?" Blossom repeated.

Cherry's eyes finally lifted from the text. She blinked at her mother for a moment, and then lowered the book, setting it on the table. "Greek Mythology."

Blossom smiled, relieved to finally have her daughter's attention. Her smile widened as Cherry finally picked up her spoon and began to finally dig into her oatmeal. "I used to love Greek Mythology when I was your age. I remember-"

"Do you remember the story of Medusa?" Cherry interrupted as she stirred her oatmeal.

"Yes," Blossom answered. "She was the gorgon who the great mythic hero, Perseus, beheaded. He-"

"I was more so asking about the origin of Medusa. Do you remember how she became a gorgon?"

Blossom thought for a moment. "No, I don't think so. I'm not sure I ever read that myth before."

Cherry swallowed her first bite of her oatmeal. She cringed at the taste. It had gone cold and been sitting for too long. She pushed the bowl away from her and turned her attention on her mother again. "Everyone seems to know the story of her death," Cherry frowned. "It seems like hardly anyone ever remembers that she wasn't always a gorgon."

"She wasn't?" Blossom blinked.

"No," Cherry frowned. "There are many versions of the story. Some a little more child friendly, but the darker version is this: She was just a girl- a priestess for the Temple of Athena. One night she was raped by Poseidon while in the temple. Athena was angry that such a horrid act took place in her own temple. However, she did not punish Poseidon, but Medusa, believing the sexual act to be her fault. She turned Medusa into a gorgon- the ugly snake-haired monster everyone remembers her as. If anyone were to look at her, she would turn them to stone. Whether intentional or not, this is what she did to men. Unable to look at or be seen by anyone, she was consequently banished to solitude on the island of Cisthene. There, she turned her curse into her greatest power."

Blossom watched as her daughter stood from the table, and picked up her bowl of cold oatmeal, carrying it over to the garbage and tossing it out. "I didn't know that," Blossom frowned. "That's a sad story."

Cherry returned to the table and retrieved her book of mythology. "She had two sisters. Stheno and Euryale." Cherry stared at Blossom with a serious look on her face. "They pleaded with Athena to help them. They loved their sister and did not want to be a part from her. They asked Athena to reverse the curse, but she refused." Cherry frowned as she stared at the book in her hands. "The best deal they could get from Athena was to have the same curse put on themselves. Athena turned them into gorgons, too, and they lived with their sister on the island of Cisthene. It was just the three of them on the island, and they killed anyone who dared enter their home with their newfound powers."

"Why are you telling me this story, Cherry?" Blossom raised an eyebrow.

Cherry shrugged her shoulders casually. "I was just wondering if you knew it. You didn't, so I shared. Now you know it". The teenager reached across, and plucked an apple from the fruit bowl that sat at the center of the table. She then turned her back, and left the room.

* * *

The halls of City Hall had never been so quiet and empty before as Cat walked down them the next morning. She entered the large dining hall, and found Princess already sitting in her usual seat. She had a plate of poached eggs and strawberries in front of her, but it look untouched. As Cat neared the grand table, she noticed a plate of French toast already sitting at the head of the table.

"I told the chef to get you French toast," Princess said apathetically as she poked at her food, uninterested.

"Thanks," Cat answered as she stood beside the table. She slid the plate of food away from the head of the table, back to her usual seat across from Princess. Cat sat down, and stared at Princess quietly for a long time. "Are you alright?"

Princess looked up from her untouched food. She only gaped at the teenager, as if appalled. Cat noticed her eyes beginning to water.

"Sorry," Cat frowned. "That was a stupid question."

The two were quiet as they both poked at their food, neither feeling very hungry. Cat sipped her orange juice, trying to ignore the awkward tension in the air. She glanced at Princess and noticed that she had been staring at her. Cat swallowed and lowered her glass. "What is it?"

Princess's eyes only filled with more tears. "You look just like her now."

Cat sat down her glass and blinked at Princess. The dumb stare only reminded Princess even more of her recently departed loved one. Princess quickly wiped the tears away as soon as they escaped. She cleared her throat and forced a harsh tone in her voice: "You better not screw this one up, Brat."

Cat smiled a little. "I won't."

* * *

"Miss Utonium, you can't possibly think that Cherry will be able to defeat both super villains alone! We need a solution to this problem! We need _more _Powerpuff Girls!"

Blossom glared at the mayor, from where she sat, opposite him in his office. "How could you demand something like that?" She shook her head. "I will not do that. I will not create any more superheroes."

Mayor Kelley of Neighborfield's eyes also narrowed. "Would you really be so selfish as to keep this technology away from those who desperately need it?"

"It's not selfishness, Mayor. What's selfish is you expecting me to bring three more lives into this world just to be sacrificed for your own well-being."

"Miss Utonium," the man who sat next to Blossom began to speak. He was the US General, also attending the meeting with Mayor Kelley and Blossom. "I understand your hesitation, but I have to agree with the mayor slightly. I have many men willing to sacrifice their lives for the safety of this city, but they are just mortal men. If there were more superheroes to aide in battle… it would make things a hell of a lot easier. There would definitely be less casualties."

Blossom blinked at both men. "They would be just children," she responded with her mouth gaped in disgust. "A day old, and forced into war?" Blossom shook her head. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I cannot do that."

The general was quiet and the mayor fumed with anger. Mayor Kelley slammed a fist on his desk, causing everything upon it to rattle. "Blossom!" he shouted, "This is insanity! _Just whose side are you on anyway?_"

"_Excuse me_?" Blossom shot the mayor a dirty look.

"You heard me!" The mayor returned. "It's beginning to sound like you _want _the villains to win!"

Blossom shot up from her seat immediately. "How dare you! After everything I've sacrificed for the safety of this city! After everything _my girls _have sacrificed! _You question my loyalty? _Unbelievable!" she shouted. Blossom clenched her fists in anger. "My daughter Candy is _dead _because of this war. And tomorrow… Cherry may likely face the same fate." Blossom tried her best to calm down, as she took her seat again. "I will not create any more Powerpuff Girls," Blossom shook her head. "I wish I never had," she confessed.

Blossom looked to both men who had grown quiet. The mayor still looked dissatisfied, but the general at least wore a sympathetic expression. "When I was a young girl, I dreamed of becoming a great scientist like my father," Blossom said quietly. "I wanted to help the world with the use of my intellect. I wanted to change the world for the better. Cure diseases. Invent solutions. …But the world wanted me to protect them another way. No, they _needed _it from me." Blossom shook her head. "And there was nobody else with that power to help them. I had no choice. I _had _to be a Powerpuff Girl, whether I liked it or not. And my dream… was almost impossible."

"The happiest day of my life was when my daughters were born. Firstly, they brought joy and pleasure into my life that I never even knew existed. I was their mom, and they were my children, and I couldn't have been happier. Secondly, they took from me that power that I never really wanted. They were the Powerpuff Girls then, not me. It was their duty and responsibility to protect the city as superheroes, not mine. And I was finally a great scientist like my father." Blossom paused before continuing: "I never thought to ask them what their own dreams were. I had become just like everyone else. I assumed that they would always be there to protect us. I expected it from them, because they were the only ones with the power.

I took them for granted, and I was selfish."

Blossom stared at the mayor with all seriousness. "Cherry remains our only hope. There will be no more future Powerpuff Girls."

* * *

As soon as Blossom left to her meeting with the mayor, Cherry took her leave.

An uneasy feeling seemed to follow her everywhere. She was restless, and she tried her hardest to not think about the battle which would take place tomorrow. She knew that her desire was a foolish one- but she had to see Cat. She had to talk to her. She needed to know that she wasn't the only one having second thoughts about fighting.

When Cherry arrived in Townsville, she was careful not to fly straight up to City Hall. She landed and walked up to the city's capital. Cherry kept herself covered, wearing a dark hoodie, trying her best to hide her face from others. She had no idea where she might find Cat, but as she entered the building, she could see large crowds of people moving in the same direction.

Cherry hesitated to follow them, unsure of where they could be going. She overheard two younger boys arguing behind her.

"Dude, see I told you we wouldn't be late!"

"Yeah, but now we won't get good seats! We'll probably be in the very last row now!"

Cherry watched the two teenage boys pass her as they walked, bickering with one another. They were obviously siblings. They looked identical- black curly hair, pale skin, both slender and tall. Cherry walked quickly to catch up to them: "Excuse me," she interjected.

The twins turned and looked at the hooded hero, not bothering to stop walking.

Cherry quickly walked beside them. "Where is everyone going?" she asked.

The twins exchanged glances. "You don't know?" Twin One responded.

Cherry shook her head. "Uhh, no. I've been… out of town."

"It's a big meeting," Twin Two answered. "To find out what happens next since everyone is asking on a count of what happened yesterday."

"What happened yesterday?" Cherry blinked.

"_You don't know_?" The twins responded in shock and in perfect unison.

"Dude," Twin One continued. "Jojo's dead."

Cherry gaped at the two boys. "Are you serious?"

They both nodded. "It was sad," Twin Two frowned. "She sacrificed herself to save Princess and Cat."

Cherry could not help but stare back at the boys with her jaw dropped. Jojo sacrificed herself and was dead? What would she need to sacrifice herself for?

"Mom says Princess is a wreck," Twin One added. "Mom had to stay up with her all night last night, and said that poor Princess didn't stop crying not once."

"Will Cat be at this meeting?" Cherry asked with a frown.

"Duh," They both answered. "Who do you think is running the meeting?" Twin One answered.

Twin Two raised an eyebrow. "Who are you anyways? How come you know so little?" he asked suspiciously.

Cherry gulped. "Like I said… I've been out of town. I haven't had any contact with anyone back home… here."

"The meeting is for villains only," Twin One added.

"I am one," Cherry added right away.

"What do you do?" both boys crossed their arms in simultaneous suspicion.

"…I work as a spy. I was in Neighborfield until today. Spying. I've been there for years actually."

The two twins thought about this for a moment. "That makes sense," Twin One nodded. "No one outside Townsville knows about Jojo's death yet."

"I'm Angus," Twin Two introduced, extending his hand to Cherry. She took it and shook it.

"I'm Andrew," Twin One identified himself, also shaking her hand.

"I'm… Alice," Cherry smiled weakly.

* * *

Cat entered the room and felt the immediate stare of everyone's eyes. Princess stood behind her and pushed her a little to move forward as she stood paused at the doorway. The villains were gathered for their final meeting before the invasion of Neighborfield. Princess had instructed Cat that she would have to lead the meeting in place of Jojo. Normally, a Villains' Council meeting only had the top, leading villains in attendance. However, today, every crook and criminal in Townsville was there. There had to have been at least three hundred faces staring at Cat, anxiously.

Princess pushed her again, "Go on."

Cat hesitantly entered the room, and everyone's eyes followed her. This was the first time the villains had seen the teenager since her encounter with Him. Cat knew they had to be shocked to see her new appearance.

Cherry sat in the very last row of a sea of villains. She sat between her new acquaintances, Angus and Andrew who she learned were the sons of Sedusa. She kept her hoodie on, and pulled it tighter around her face as soon as she caught glimpse of her sister entering the room.

Cherry's eyes widened as she watched Cat walk to the podium that sat at the very front, center of the room. Cat's face was now branded with a dark 'V' shaped scar. Her hands and arms, up to her elbows, were also scarred horribly now. Cherry couldn't help but gape in shock. She had just seen her sister the day before, and she did not possess these markings. What happened to her?

"Woah," Andrew breathed quietly upon sight of the scarring.

"Mom said she suffered a lot from yesterday's battle. But that's _real _rough," Angus whispered, also surprised by Cat's new scars.

Cat approached the podium. She glanced behind her shoulder at Princess who simply nodded at her. Cat smiled weakly at Princess and then turned her attention to large crowd of villains. They all stared back at her with apprehensive faces. Many of them looked, sad or worried. Some looked to be in tears. Certainly, all of them were in mourning over the loss of their leader. They all stared at Cat, waiting for an answer.

Cat blinked at the crowd, unsure of what to say. Princess had told her that all she needed to do was reassure everyone that the invasion would go through tomorrow as planned. But somehow… after seeing a sea of doubtful faces… Cat began to doubt it, too.

Cat looked over her shoulder again at Princess. Princess stepped forward. "What are you waiting for? Go _on_," she whispered to Cat.

"Princess," Cat frowned. "I don't know what I'm doing," Cat confessed quietly.

Princess frowned, too. "That's alright," she nodded, trying to smile. "She didn't really either."

Cat couldn't help but smile. She turned to the villains again. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, calming her nerves. She opened her eyes and began to speak:

"I'm sure you all have heard by now what's happened," Cat began.

Cherry's eyes widened at the sound of her sister's voice. She wanted to ask the twins for some sort of explanation, but didn't want to miss a word of what her sister was saying. She kept quiet and listened intently as her sister continued to speak.

"Today's a very sad day," Cat frowned. "And I don't blame any of you for doubting what comes next. We lost our leader. She's gone. And… it's hard to believe that anyone else could do what she could do. She was… amazing. Right? I mean, we all wouldn't be sitting here today if it wasn't for her. I know I wouldn't be here. I owe my very existence to her."

Cat paused for a moment to think. "You know, she told me she never told anyone this because she feared what others would think. But it was her that created the second generation of Powerpuff Girls. She created me. She was the one who added the Chemical X… and if she wasn't there to do it, I would not be standing here.

And it's weird… I never believed in God. After all, why would one believe in something like that when your life is clearly explained in a simple formula, made of four ingredients? I was not born. I was formulated and forged. A human is born, and they live their lives as a journey to find themselves and find their own purpose. But me? I was carefully planned and manufactured. I was made with a purpose. I came to life with the title of 'Powerpuff Girl.' I was made specifically to do something. To defeat villains, and to be a hero. I wasn't allowed a journey to find myself or my purpose. I was given my purpose. Aside from the super powers, that was the difference between me and a human being. I had no chance to discover the meaning of life. Everything was already explained.

But somehow when Jojo confessed to me the truth of how I was created… suddenly I felt- for the first time- _human_. Every day things make a little more sense to me. Every day, I can see my own destiny just a little bit clearer, and it's not what my original creator had planned for me. Blossom may have combined the ingredients to make me, but it was Jojo who provided the mystery to my life. She accidentally added the Chemical X. And that accident?- That's what makes my existence just as random as any other human being's.

I owe Jojo everything. She has given me everything. And yesterday she sacrificed herself to give me my voice- the one thing I wanted more than anything.

I refuse to let her down. She started this war, and I intend to see it through. Yesterday, I found my purpose at last. I am a villain. This is what I was meant to be, and fighting this war is what I was meant to do. I could literally feel everything fall into place as I announced it to myself.

Everyone in this room has to have been through some type of journey that has lead them to be sitting in here right now. At some point, you came to your own realization that you were different- that you were a villain. And so here you are, fighting to prove yourselves as such.

Tomorrow we face the greatest battle we have ever seen. We must win. We cannot let the enemy stop us from living out our own destinies. They want to stop us, because they say that we are wrong. Wrong according to who? They do not know. They are not God. They have no right to tell us we are wrong. They have no right to judge us. They have no right to label us as anything. Those labels and statuses… that's what's truly wrong.

_The world needs to learn a lesson, and it is us who must teach it to them._

This is a war for freedom. I refuse to be told what I am or who I am. As if they know me better than I know myself? As if I'm nothing but a manufactured product and they somehow hold the instructions in their damned hands. I know what I am, and I know _who _I am. _I am a villain_. You are all villains. So tomorrow, show yourselves as that. Be who you were born to be. And if they don't like it? Then they can just get the fuck outta our way."

The crowd was clearly moved by Cat's speech. As everyone stood to clap for Cat, Cherry stayed seated, finding herself still frozen in shock. She had never heard her sister speak so confidently before… even before her accident. There was a newfound courage there that she had never seen before in her sister, and it seemed to grow more and more as she delivered her speech.

Cherry's face was sticky with tears that she hadn't even realized were there.

"Hey, what's the matter, Alice?" Angus inquired beside her.

Cherry wiped the tears from her eyes and finally stood to applaud as well. "She just sounded so beautiful," she admitted.

* * *

"You did good, Brat," Princess confessed as they walked down the hallway together.

"Thanks," Cat smiled.

"To be honest, I didn't think you'd be able to pull it off, but I guess you proved me wrong. Every villain in this city is actually excited for tomorrow. They went from being scared and doubtful to eager and hopeful."

The two villains reached the doorways to their separate bedrooms. The both paused before entering their respective rooms. "You gonna be OK, Princess?" Cat asked with a frown.

Princess nodded with a weak smile. "I'll be OK."

Cat unlooped her headphones which had sat around her neck, and approached Princess. She fixed them carefully around Princess's ears, and handed Princess her music player. "Here," she said. "It'll help take your mind off things."

Princess couldn't help but smile as she watched the teenager carefully adjust the bulky headphones. She watched Cat take the music player and select a song for her. Princess's ears began to fill with a sweet, slow melody. "This is my new song for you," Cat smiled, handing the music player back to Princess.

"Thanks," Princess smiled. She watched Cat disappear into her own bedroom, before going into her own.

_Home is where I want to be_

_Pick me up and turn me round_

_I feel numb_

_Born with a big heart_

_I guess I must be having fun_

_The less we say about it the better_

_Make it up as we go along_

_Feet on the ground_

_Head in the sky_

_It's OK, I know nothing's wrong_

_Nothing._

* * *

"Where have you been?" Blossom asked as soon as her daughter reentered their home.

Cherry lowered her hoodie and blinked at her mother who sat in the dark of their living room. "I went for a walk," Cherry answered.

"To where?"

"Nowhere. Just around."

"I've been waiting to talk to you," Blossom frowned.

"I really don't feel like talking, Mom."

"I know you don't," Blossom frowned. She stood from where she sat and approached her daughter. "But I need to tell you something."

_What? That you failed to tell me that Jojo was the one that added the Chemical X to our formula? Or some other hidden truth? Let me guess… you actually had a fourth sister you failed to tell us about. _"What is it?"

"You don't need to fight tomorrow if you don't want to."

Cherry shook her head. "I need to. You know that I do. Stop acting as if I have a choice in all this. I never did. I need to fight tomorrow," she announced as she ascended up the stairway. "Get some rest, Mom. We will both need it."

* * *

The next day, both the city of Townsville and Neighborfield were on edge. The mayor of Neighborfield had until 9:00 AM to surrender. Blossom and Cherry waited with Mayor Kelley in his office for the villains' arrival. The mother and daughter had not done much speaking with one another since the night before.

"Kill them both upon sight," the mayor instructed Blossom and Cherry who stood on either side of him as he sat behind his desk.

Cherry and Blossom both glared angrily at the politician, but said nothing more.

Blossom's eyes fell on the clock which hung on the wall. It was 9:00 AM then. Any moment, she expected Cat and Jojo to walk through those doors and demand war.

Cherry's eyes were fixated on the door, waiting anxiously for her sister's arrival. She knew it would just be her alone. After all, she discovered the day before that Jojo was dead. She did not share this news to her mother. She didn't know why she didn't. Only that she didn't feel like she should. Perhaps, she didn't want to upset her mother further by letting her know that she went into Townsville. Or perhaps she just liked having Blossom be the one in the total dark of things for once. Whatever the case, Cherry did not share this news with Blossom. The only one in the room that knew of Jojo's death, Cat's scars, and Cat's new voice, was only Cherry.

It was 9:01 AM when the doors to the mayor's office finally opened.

Cherry and Blossom both held their breath. Cherry was already expecting the sight, but Blossom was not. Blossom could not help but fall backwards a little at the sight of the scarred teenager entering the room. Blossom cupped her hands over her mouths, muffling her shock.

Cat's eyes were fixed on the mayor as she stood, waiting for the doors to shut behind her. She wore a casual expression. After all, the villains _did _have a scheduled appointment with the mayor. Cat tried her best to remember everything she had learned from Jojo.

She approached the mayor's desk. The mayor stood as Cat's steps drew closer. "Sit down," she insisted as she sat down casually across from the mayor.

Blossom's eyes widened at the sound of her daughter's voice. "Cat!" she cried out without realizing it. "_What's happened to you_?"

"Mom, be quiet," Cherry whispered harshly.

"_What are you two doing just standing there_?" The mayor shouted at both of the super heroes. "Kill her already!"

Cat ignored the chaotic scene before her. She continued on with her business just as Jojo would. "Ex-Mayor Kelley," she began calmly. "It is past nine o'clock. You have had forty-eight hours to surrender. You were instructed to cast our black flag in place of your city's flag, to signal your surrender. However," she leaned forward in her seat and smiled deviously, "I don't see our flag up there."

Cat stood from her seat, and began to focus her power in her fists. Her sound blast was no longer invisible, but shown a bright, burning yellow, focused as radiating orbs, she carried in both hands. "What did we tell you would happen if we did not see our flag up there by nine today?"

The mayor erupted into tears and began pleading for his life: "Please! Please! You don't have to do this!"

Blossom gaped at the power in her daughter's hands. That evil smile she wore. Those scars. That twisted and merciless way of speaking. Her daughter was a villain.

"Please don't!" the mayor continued to beg.

Cat brought her hands together and the two small yellow spheres, fused together, and a low, loud booming could be heard from the shining orb as it grew in her hands. It floated there as she crossed her arms, causing the orb to shine brighter and release another loud, low boom.

At the sight of this, Cherry retreated sideways be several steps, clearing herself from the sound blast's intended target, and dragging her shocked mother along with her.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING? KILL HER ALREADY!" the mayor shouted desperately at Cherry.

"_Silence_," Cat commanded, throwing her arms down to her sides and thus shooting the ball of deadly sound waves in the direction of the mayor.

Blossom and Cherry both grabbed their own ears in pain as Cat's voice echoed throughout the room. But it was only the mayor who received full effect of Cat's power. Within seconds his brain matter melted, and he fell face forward on his desk, dead.

Blossom stared at the dead politician. She was in so much shock, she wasn't sure what was going on, really.

Cherry and Cat met each other in the middle of the room. Cat's eyes were narrowed and she glared at Cherry, as if challenging her. Cherry's eyes were soft. She could hear her sister's voice in her head from the day before saying: "_I know what I am, and I know _who _I am. I am a _villain."

Cherry smiled a little. "I guess you're expecting a fight from me, aren't you?"

Cat's eyes only narrowed. "You know it."

Cherry readied herself. "I guess I could manage that."

Immediately the two charged at each other at the exact same time. Cat was a little quicker with her attack and forcefully knocked Cherry off her feet and the two busted through the wall of the mayor's office.

Once outdoors, Cherry could see that below them the war had begun. There were thousands of military troops and an equal amount of crooks and thieves, battling each other with guns, tanks and bombs. Cherry fought against her sister and was able to break free from her grasp. She turned swiftly and kicked her sister in the back.

Cat whipped around and lunged at Cherry once again, throwing a direct punch to her face. Cherry dodged the attack by leaning her head slightly to the left, and then again to the right as Cat served another punch.

"So, you got your voice back," Cherry commented as she threw a fist in Cat's direction.

"Yeah. What's it to you?" Cat answered as she blocked Cherry's attack.

"And you've decided once and for all to be a villain?" Cherry turned to the right and tried to elbow her sister in the gut.

Cat caught her sister's arm and spun her around. Cherry twirled in the air as she flew backwards forcefully by about seven feet. She stopped herself.

Cat laughed a little. "Yeah, I did. What's it to you?" She charged at her sister again.

Cherry timed her sister's attack perfectly and successfully grabbed Cat, turned her around and embraced her in a tight chokehold. "Nothing," she answered.

Cat coughed and elbowed Cherry in the gut, getting her to release her grip. She spun around and faced her sister with an angry glare.

Cherry only smiled. "I was just wondering."

"Wondering what?" Cat glared.

"Does it make you happy? Being a villain I mean?"

"Yeah, it does. So what?"

Cherry's smile widened, and Cat's glare faded.

Cat blinked at her sister. Just what was she up to? They were supposed to be mortal enemies after all. Somehow it didn't seem to feel like that right then. "What?" Cat blinked, trying to force the mean stare on her face again.

Cherry shook her head. "Nothing," she said. "I'm just… happy for you, Cat. I really am." Cherry's smile faded. "At least one of us gets to be."

"What do you mean?" Cat raised an eyebrow. "You want to be a hero. You always have."

"So everyone tells me."

"What?"

"Stop this nonsense now! Tell me where Jojo is!" Blossom suddenly demanded from Cat from where she stood on the roof of the capital.

Cat turned to Blossom and glared at her. "_Where is she, Cat_?" Blossom shouted again. "And what has she done to you? Look at you! _Where is she?" _Blossom continued to shout.

Cat gritted her teeth angrily. "She's not here, so just forget it! If you wanna fight, you can fight me!"

Cherry stood between them, unsure of what she should do. She witnessed Cat's hands glowing brighter and brighter by the second.

"No! You tell me where she is!" Blossom screamed over the sounds of missiles firing below.

Cat grasped her hands over her ears as her sound blast began to fill her head. "JUST SHUT UP ALREADY! SHE'S NOT HERE!" She shouted, and her hands grew brighter. She immediately charged at Blossom.

Cherry knocked Cat down to the chaos below. Blossom stayed on the roof, trying her best to search for the two in the crowds of soldiers and crooks.

Once on the ground, Cat kicked Cherry so that she fell onto her back. She charged at her sister before she could sit up.

Cat now had Cherry pinned on the ground. She grasped her hands around her sister's throat and choked her.

"I don't want to fight you, Cat!" Cherry pleaded as she choked.

Cat tightened her grasp around Cherry's neck. She was focused, and determined. She did not believe her sister. Cat held onto her throat with one hand now and lifted her right hand, concentrating one large orb of yellow energy in her scarred palm.

"Cat!" Cherry choked. She fought against her sister's grasp. She clawed at her sister's grasp desperately. "Please, Cat, you don't have to do this!"

Cat began to take aim. She was ready to silence Cherry forever. As she drew back to toss her sound blast at Cherry, suddenly the power from her hands faded, as she felt something rip through her.

Cat gasped for air, but only felt blood fill her lungs. She immediately fell over, crippled. She lay on her back, and watched as Cherry rose to her feet.

Cherry stared at her own hands, feeling immediately sickened by what she had done. Her eyes were wide as she watched Cat slowly bleed to death before her. She had a bullet wound on the left side of her chest. Her yellow shirt began to turn a deep blood red, as she bled out.

Cat coughed up blood as she struggled to sit up. Cherry stood, horrified as she watched the blood seep from her sister's mouth as she weakly pulled herself up. Cherry could hear someone call out for Cat in the distance, and then saw Princess running in their direction.

Cherry slowly retreated backwards, and Cat watched her as her vision slowly began to fade before her. She fell backwards and could feel herself in someone's arms as she began to slip out of consciousness.

Princess held the young villain in her arms and shouted for her to hold on, while ordering the other villains to get help.

As her vision finally grew black, the last thing Cat could make out in the distance was her sister signing the words: "_I'm so sorry, Cat_."


	15. Chapter 15

**Villain: The Epilogue**

* * *

_A/N: OK, time for the long gushy author's note because I'm just emotional like that._

_Thank you SO MUCH, EVERYONE. For reading. I am just… shocked that when I decided to pick this up again to finish it that so many people came back to read it. _I_ wouldn't have, lol. I so would have been like "Oh, now you're writing this again? Guess what? -It's been 2 years. I've moved on, WHORE." Or something like that, lol. So yeah. I really appreciate you guys sticking with this damn story. It means so much. _

_My reviewers- thanks so freaking much. I've never had so many loyal reviewers before… like ones that returned to review nearly every chapter as soon as it was posted. IT'S KINDA WEIRD. But it totally makes my day to see a new review in my inbox. And all of you had such different views, and different ideas, and interpretations… it was great! So thank you for that! It really motivated me to try my best to finish this story by writing it the best way I could. D: I hope I haven't failed your expectations._

_OK… last chapter. Short and sweet chapter. I'm sure you've all had enough of this chaos, lol. The ending might imply that there will be more. But there won't, lol. This is it. So I hope you enjoy. :D_

_Love you guys! It's been great! MUAH!_

_-Bobby_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"Everyone, relax!" the robber's voice echoed through the mostly empty bank. "This is a robbery!" he continued to announce. "Everyone on the ground _now_! And put yer hands on yer heads!"

Everyone in the bank immediately cooperated and fell to the ground, covering their heads with their hands. Blossom first blinked at the crook, before slowly and hesitantly obeying. She knelt down on both knees and placed her hands on her head. But while everyone else cowered with their heads between their knees, the ex-superhero held her head up high and followed the criminal with her eyes wherever he seemed to go.

"Alright boys, let's get the dough and get out of here," the robber shouted at two other men. They quickly darted into action. The first criminal jumped behind the tellers and began collecting any money behind the large counter, while the second crook approached a large vault on the opposite wall.

The second robber had a bucket of some unknown substance in his hands. He stood in front of the vault and tossed the contents of the bucket at the door of the large safe. A green, glowing liquid splashed against the metal door, and suddenly the material began to melt away, creating a large hole in the vault. The robber then disappeared inside the vault.

The lead criminal from before carried a large empty sack and began to approach the crowd of civilians. "Put your money and jewelry in the bag, and no one gets hurt," he demanded from an elderly woman as he threatened her with his pistol. The woman quickly obeyed and tossed her purse into the crook's sack, along with her pearl earrings and necklace.

Blossom watched as the lead robber went down the line of innocent people. She gritted her teeth as he robbed everyone before her.

The crook stepped in front of Blossom and held out his bag of stolen goods. "Your money," he demanded calmly with his gun firmly pointed at her.

Blossom glared at the criminal, but said nothing. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her wallet, and tossed it into the bag. She did so without blinking and without taking her mean stare off the man for one moment.

The crook smiled slyly. "Just what do you think yer doing, Little Missy?" he asked, leaning in close to Blossom. He circled Blossom for a moment, waiting for her to say something, but she said nothing. She only followed him with angry eyes.

The robber stopped behind her. He leaned down, and brought his pistol closer, and let the cold metal of the revolver's barrel trace her neckline. "Your necklace," he demanded with his repulsive breath hot on her neck. "Take it off."

Blossom's eyes widened for a moment, and she quickly touched her silver chain. She grasped onto its heart shaped, pink diamond, and glared at the crook again

"_Take it off_," he repeated, pressing the gun against her temple.

Blossom gritted her teeth. She raised her chin, and turned her head to look at the crook. She dared the criminal with her eyes as the barrel of the gun stared back, focused right between her eyes. "_No_," she declared bravely.

* * *

"So how is she?"

"She's doing just fine. You would be proud. It's only been two years since her accident, and she's making a recovery much better than the doctors ever anticipated. She still can't lift her left arm past her shoulder, but the doctors said she would never be able to lift it at all in the beginning. I guess she just loves to prove people wrong, doesn't she? I bet if we give her enough time, she'll heal up as good as new."

"I'm glad," Jojo smiled.

Princess smiled, too. She knew who she was speaking to was just a hallucination, but it still comforted her. She finally understood Jojo's need to speak to Mojo after he passed away. Everyone has that one person in their life that they will always rely on for advice and comfort. Jojo would always be hers. Even if it wasn't real, speaking to her dead beloved still made living life a little easier.

"I miss you," Princess confessed.

"I miss you too, Princess."

Suddenly, the door to Princess's room slammed open: "Holy _shit_," the teenager exclaimed as she entered the room with her nose buried deep in a newspaper. "_Have you read this_?"

Cat's eyes were wide and so focused on the text that she was reading, she failed to see the furniture in her path as she entered Princess's room. She stumbled slightly as her knee hit a chair, but continued unaffected, completely submerged in what she was reading.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking, Brat?" Princess crossed her arms firmly and glared at Cat through the vanity mirror.

The eighteen-year-old ignored the villain's irritation. "_Have you read this?_" she repeated. Finally her eyes parted from the article for a moment to blink at Princess.

Princess rolled her eyes. "It's seven in the morning, and I'm not even dressed yet. Of course I haven't read it. What is it?"

Cat handed the newspaper over to Princess. Princess took the paper. As soon as her eyes fell on the headline she gasped loudly. Her eyes widened as she read the headline again aloud: "_Blossom Utonium dies at age 34_?" Princess's eyes quickly scanned through the article. "_Victim of a bank robbery? …Fatal gunshot to the head?…._" Princess looked up from the paper and saw Cat leaving the room. "Where are you off to?"

"Where do you think?" Cat answered as she left.

"Can't it wait? You were supposed to visit tonight anyway! You have work to do today, you know!"

"Already done!" she shouted over her shoulder as she disappeared out of the room.

* * *

Cherry failed to make her daily, disguised trip to the coffee shop to get her coffee and newspaper in the neighboring city. She also failed to turn on her television set. Instead, she remained focused on her short list of tasks for the day, and was completely unaware of her mother's death.

It was the last Friday of the month, after all. Which was the one day she looked forward to each month. She always woke up early, and could never sleep the night before. It was still early morning, but already her apartment was cleaned and spotless. Normally the place would be a mess. After all, she lived alone, so why would it need to be clean? The only visitor she ever got was for this one weekend a month.

It had been two years since the fall of Neighborfield, and Cherry remained the only resident left in the city. She lived in a long ago abandoned apartment complex, on the very top, fifteenth floor. It was a bit odd living in a ghost town, but she enjoyed the privacy after a long life of being the center of society's attention. Besides, if she ever grew bored, she just threw on her disguise and flew into another nearby town for entertainment or social interaction. But she of course never revealed her true identity to anyone she may meet.

But mostly, she spent her time in solitude. More often than not, she did a lot of thinking and reflecting. The thinking and reflecting typically involved regretting more than anything. She had banished herself to her tower immediately after she nearly killed her sister Cat in battle. Although her sister had long since forgiven her, and frequently insisted that Cherry move in with her into Townsville's City Hall, Cherry still felt guilty for what she had done. Not to mention, if her mother ever became aware of her new relationship with her sister… she would probably be beyond heartbroken.

When she wasn't rethinking her past, the rest of her time was spent trying to find herself through dozens of projects and hobbies. Painting, writing, cooking, photography, music, learning foreign languages, collecting new things, and mastering new crafts…. True purpose and contentment is what she sought, but sadly had yet to find. But today… _today _she awoke with a new feeling. Today she felt things were going to be different for once. Because this morning she awoke with a decision she had struggled to make over the last two years.

Today would be her last day locked away in her tower.

Just so long as everything continued to go as planned, that was.

Cherry made her way into the kitchen and opened the cupboard, plucking the necessary ingredients from their shelves. She opened another cabinet, took out a pot, filled it with water and began to heat it over the stove. She took her bag of sugar and began to measure her first ingredient.

"What are you up to?" came Cat's voice from behind.

Cherry immediately whipped around and faced her sister who entered through the window. "You startled me, Cat!" she exclaimed, as she touched her hand gently over her heart. "And you're early."

Cat only smiled as she approached her sister. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

Cat blinked at her for a moment. She then came to the realization that her sister had yet to hear the news. "Nothing," she lied. "You just looked nervous. That's all." Cat decided she would break the news to her later, once she could figure out the most gentle way of doing so.

Cherry bit her lip. "N-nervous? Why would I be nervous?"

Cat raised a suspicious eyebrow. "_Right_," she said as she walked into the kitchen.

Cherry tried her best to block Cat's view from the stovetop. "Hey, why don't you run to the store and get us some soda, Cat? I think I'm all out."

Cat crossed her arms and stared at her sibling. "Cherry?"

"Yes?"

"What are you up to?" she repeated.

"Nothing. I was just making myself breakfast. That's all."

"What are you making?"

"…Pancakes?"

Cat's eyes fell on the pot. "_Pancakes_?" she repeated.

Cherry smiled nervously. "Yeah. Do you want some?" She watched as Cat walked over to the counter and picked up a small glass bottle. "Hey!" she went to reach for it. "I need that!"

"What is it?"

"Nothing! It's a surprise, alright? Don't ruin it!"

Cat held the small bottle out of her sister's grasp, backing away from her and swatting her reaching hands away. "Ruin what?"

"Cat! Give it back!" Cherry shouted.

As Cherry reached again for the bottle, it slipped from Cat's grasp and fell into the pot.

"Oops," Cat smiled weakly as she watched the brown liquid seep into the mixture on the stove.

Cherry's eyes narrowed as she glared at Cat. "Thanks, Cat. It's ruined. Can you go to the store now?"

Cat's nose picked up on the sweet scent of what boiled in the pot. "Caramel sauce?" her eyes widened.

"It was supposed to be, yes."

Cat's jaw dropped. She loved caramel. Especially Cherry's special recipe for homemade caramel sauce that she would drizzle over her delicious homemade cheesecake. It was Cat's favorite. Cat immediately fell to her knees and threw her arms around her sister, clinging to her leg. "MAKE MORE, _PLEASE_!" she begged.

"Nope. It's ruined. You ruined it."

"YOU _MONSTER_!" The torment was too much for her.

"That was the last of my vanilla extract you dropped in there. How am I supposed to-" Before Cherry could finish, her sister immediately disappeared with a flash of yellow light. Cherry sighed as she turned off the stove and removed the pot. She poured out the contents into the sink and washed it down the drain.

As she returned to the stove with a clean pot, filled with fresh water, her sister reappeared with another flash of yellow light. The girl held a case of Coca-Cola in one hand and about a dozen bottles of vanilla extract in her other hand.

Cherry's expression remained serious as she plucked one of the bottle's from her sister's grasp and returned to the stove. "_Fine_," she said. "Just stay out of my way, will you?"

Cat obeyed and sat at the kitchen table. She quietly watched her sister as she continued cooking. As she watched her, she thought about how she would break the news to Cherry about Blossom. After all, even though Cherry hadn't had contact with Blossom since Cherry's disappearance, Cat knew that Cherry still cared for her mother. For some reason that Cat could never even begin to understand, Cherry would always care for Blossom.

When Cherry accidentally shot Cat two years ago, Cherry managed to disappear for five weeks. For five weeks, no one could find the superhero. And for five weeks, the battle over Neighborfield continued. The only known superhero on the planet was missing, while the only known super villain was in the hospital and in critical condition. However the battle continued on with the military versus crooks and criminals. And towards the end of the fifth week, the villains found themselves on the losing end of the war. They would have lost the battle, if it weren't for Cherry's sudden return.

As Cat watched her sister work happily in the kitchen, she thought back to the moment when she had awoken after her accident.

* * *

"Do you really think you can make up for something like this?" Princess's voice was the first thing she heard. "And how could we ever trust you? A _Powerpuff Girl_? _Helping villains_? How ridiculous!"

"You will trust me, because you have no other choice," Cherry's voice was now clear.

Cat slowly began to open her eyes at the sound of her sister's voice. As her vision finally began to focus, she could see Cherry and Princess standing at her bedside in the hospital room. Neither Cherry nor Princess had yet to notice that Cat was now awake.

Cherry seemed to be dressing as she spoke to Princess. She stood, wearing just a pair of black jeans and her sports bra. Cherry pulled on a yellow shirt, "And I'm not a Powerpuff Girl anymore. I've decided that much."

Princess laughed a little. "Oh, so what? You're a villain now, too?"

Cherry fixed a black belt around her waist. She frowned at Princess as she centered the yellow triangle buckle. "Like I said. I'm not a Powerpuff anymore. That's _all _I've decided so far." Cherry took the black cape that Princess held in her hands, and began to fasten it around her neck. "I don't know what I want," Cherry frowned. "All I know is that Cat figured out what she wanted. She figured out what makes her happy and what her dreams were, and I-"

"You shot her down," Princess glared at Cherry.

"Right," Cherry frowned. "And I need to fix this. I can't let you guys lose this battle. It means nothing to me, but it means the world to Cat. If she can't fight it herself… it's the least I can do for her. It's the least I can do to _try _and repair our relationship." Cherry began to tie her red hair up into a tight bun. Princess handed her a black, short, curly wig and Cherry fixed it on her head.

Princess gave a short laugh. "Good luck with that, Sister," she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

* * *

"Breaking News: Former Powerpuff Girl and scientist, Blossom Utonium, died yesterday at the age of thirty-four. The news broke this morning that she was the only victim of a bank robbery which took place yesterday afternoon-" the TV announcer's voice interrupted Cat's thoughts. She whipped around to face the TV set in the living room.

Cherry stood there with her jaw dropped as her eyes remained fixed on the TV set. Cat instantly shot up from her seat, and joined her sister by her side.

"She's… dead?" Cherry blinked at the TV.

Cat frowned. "Yeah, I guess so…."

Cherry slowly lowered herself down so that she sat on the living room sofa. Cat sat down, too. Cherry held onto her head as she began to feel dizzy. "I can't believe this…."

"I'm sorry, Cherry," Cat said quietly.

Cherry glanced at Cat. Her yellow-eyed sister had her head hung low, as if wearing some sort of guilty expression. "It's not your fault, Cat. You don't need to apologize for anything."

"No," Cat shook her head, and looked at her sister. "It is. And I do," she frowned.

"It's _not_, and you _don't_."

"I can't help but think that it _is_, Cherry," Cat continued with a sad face. "You wouldn't have ever left her if it weren't for me. You wouldn't have lost Candy if it weren't for me. You wouldn't have lost Stephen. You would still have your family and your friends. You would still-"

"I would still be without my sister, Cat, and still miss her dearly," Cherry interrupted. "It was my choice to leave that life behind, Cat. _My _choice."

"And you're still happy with that decision?"

Cherry smiled. "Yes. I am."

* * *

Cat's eyes widened as her sister placed the caramel cheesecake masterpiece in front of her. Cat admired the dessert as her sister took the chair opposite from her at the kitchen table. Cat carefully picked up her fork, and slowly dug into her dessert. She carefully took her first bite and closed her eyes to savor the taste. "_Mmm_…" she moaned behind a big smile.

Cherry laughed and continued to eat her own dessert. "You are too easy to please."

Cat smiled. "Why'd you make this today anyway? You usually only make it for special occasions."

"Just an advance 'thank you' for your help this weekend."

Cat tilted her head to one side in confusion. "Help with what?"

"Moving," Cherry replied.

"You're moving? Where?" Cat blinked.

Cherry crossed her arms and frowned a little. "I would think you could guess."

Cat thought for a moment. A smile quickly swept her face as she realized the answer. "City Hall? With me? _Really_?"

Cherry nodded and smiled. "If that's still alright with you, that is."

Cat nodded. "Yeah, of course!" She took another bite of her cheesecake and grinned. "You should totally start working as the head chef there!" she laughed.

Cherry smiled. "Well, I was thinking you could pull some strings, and help me get into a different profession, actually."

Cat raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at, Cherry?"

"I want to be a villain, Cat," Cherry announced calmly.

Cat laughed. "_You_? A _villain_?" Cat couldn't help but think that her sister had to be joking. "What makes you think you have what it takes to be a villain?" Cat continued to laugh as she began to take another bite of her dessert. Before her fork could reach her lips, suddenly it was shot out of her hand by a sharp gust of wind.

Cherry wore a devious smile when Cat looked at her. She still had her finger pointed in Cat's direction as she coolly continued: "I think you and I both know that I do."

A sly grin swept Cat's face. She leaned back in her chair, and crossed her arms, eyeing Cherry from across the table. "You are- without a doubt- my sister."

"That's right," Cherry crossed her arms, too. "And there's _no_ getting rid of me."

_The end._


End file.
